Are you giving God all of you or just leaving Him spiritual milk and cookies?
What do I mean by that? Well, I used to treat God like Santa Claus. I’d come to Him with a list of requests and then go about my way. I’d wait to see if my wishlist was taken care of, expecting Him to just give me what I wanted as if I deserved it.
I realized what I was doing and sought to change it, but I haven’t done as good a job as I’d have liked. A lot of times, or most of the time, my prayer life is simply giving God my petitions and going about my way. I still only hand Him a wishlist. Still don’t spend as much time as I should thanking Him for all He’s done for me. Don’t spend enough time thanking Him for the incredible gift He’s given me, especially considering salvation is the gift that truly keeps on giving.
Just as I used to do Santa as a child, I give God a lengthy list and leave Him spiritual milk and cookies in return as if that’s enough. I check off the boxes just to say that it’s done, giving God the bare minimum. Go to church when He wants me to worship Him. Read my Bible when He wants me to study His Word. I donate money when He wants me to serve.
But God doesn’t want my milk and cookies. He doesn’t want me to leave an afterthought before I go to bed. He wants all of me. Matthew 22:37 says, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. But I don’t do that. I give Him what’s leftover. I expect Him to come through on so many things, but I give Him so little in return.
If I make a New Year’s resolution for 2019, it’s that I will start giving more of myself to God. That I’ll give Him my time, making Him a priority. Actually studying His Word instead of reading a verse right before I go to bed and calling it done. Worshiping Him instead of sitting in a pew letting my mind wander. Giving my time instead of trying to buy myself a free conscience. It’s time that I give everything to God.
Will you?
