“Give Me”

“Give Me”
Sunday, January 19, 2020
by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.”

Luke 15:11-14

Though it has been almost two thousand years since Jesus told the story, the parable of the Prodigal Son reads like a picture of modern society. All around us the drive of materialism, the endless quest to accumulate more and more money and more and more things, is easy to see. There is a widespread feeling that people are owed whatever they desire, and have a right to get it without first earning it.

This “give me” mindset destroys joy because no matter how much someone gets, there is never enough. Someone said, “A spirit of entitlement robs us of happiness and God of glory.” We are not entitled to anything. Everything that is good in our lives and our eternity is the direct result of the grace of God. The more that we insist on having our own way or getting what we “deserve,” the more we undermine our spiritual growth and development.

When the Children of Israel complained in the wilderness because all they had to eat was manna, God sent them quail to eat, but they did not find pleasure in that provision. “And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul” (Psalm 106:15). Instead of spending our lives insisting on getting more and more so that we have what we think we deserve, we must develop a spirit of contentment and gratitude.

Today's Growth Principle:
If we are not content with what God has given us, we will not be content no matter how much more we get.