Today's Scripture Reading (December 2, 2024): Exodus 32
What do you desire: To know God or receive the gifts that are in his pockets?
I have a friend who travels a lot worldwide for his job. He goes to places that I would never dream of going to and would never dream of needing to go on business. As a result of his job, he is away from his family for several weeks during the year. And he has gotten into a tradition of buying little trinkets for his family from the various places he visits. These small gifts are exotic things you can't buy in North America. But his kids have also gotten into a tradition of running to Daddy when he walks through the door and feeling his pockets for the presents that he has brought for them. And in a weak moment, my friend admitted that sometimes he wishes his children wanted his presence more than what is in his pockets. Sometimes, I wonder if God doesn't feel that same way.
One of the sad things about Western Christianity is that we seem to be more concerned with what is in God's pockets than we are with his presence. We see examples of it all around us. It is the core of a number of our healing ministries. If you have faith and believe hard enough, God will heal you; he will give you what is in his pockets. It is the core of our prosperity gospel. If you have faith, God will make you rich. I heard a prosperity preacher explain it this way: everything is God's anyway, so don't you think that God wants to put control of the incredible wealth that he possesses in the hands of Christians who will use that money to further his kingdom? So, if you have faith and are committed to the things of God, he will give you wealth. It sounds reasonable and logical, but it is just another way of saying that what we want is what is in God's pockets.
It is at the heart of our prayers. You know that when we pray, we often get out our laundry list of needs. God, this is what I see as what we need. And some of them are good things. God, enlarge our ministries; however, enlarging our ability to reach people is just another way of saying, God; what do you have in your pockets.
Jesus knew the problem we had with wanting the things in God's pockets. So, in the prayer he taught us, he started it with, Our Father in heaven, Hallowed (or holy) be your name. You are the one that is high and lifted up. You are the one that is deserving of all the glory and honor. You reign. So, let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is heaven. God, I desire you, not what is in your pockets. God, I don't want to talk about my kingdom; I want to be all about yours.
The reality is that while Moses is up on the mountain getting to know God, the people are down in the valley, worried that they won't get what is in his pockets. Their response to wanting the gifts of God is to build a calf and worship it, going directly against what God is telling Moses on the mountain. They worship an idol that is not God, partially because they aren't willing to put the time in to get to know God but are eager to take what they think is a shortcut to the gifts that come from the pockets of God.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Exodus 33
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