What we want isn't what we need

A man walks into a bar and asks for a glass of water. The bartender pulls out a shotgun and fires it; barely missing the man. The man says "Thank you", leaves a tip and walks out. Why?

That riddle above shows that sometimes what we want and what we need are 2 different things. Human beings are irrational in that way. The best part is, we may not even know that we needed it. I'm sure we all have likes and dislikes. We prefer certain movies, songs, shows, etc. We also have weird cravings from time to time. And I'm sure that at times, we can't actually reason out these preferences when asked why.

To a certain extent, I believe God wired us that way. It makes us all... unique. It would be a boring world if everyone likes the same music, have the same taste in fashion, and enjoy the same food. No diversity.

In some matters, it could be conditioning. You listen to a music enough time, you make end up getting sick of it. You may also hate certain things because it's associated with a bad time in your life. I know I do. Then of course, sometimes we bow to external stimulation. We have (whether we like to admit it or not) decided to eat at certain places due to their advertisement before.

But sometimes, it could be due to something deeper. The most popular example is comfort food. To one person, it may just be sustenance. To someone else, it could life their spirits enough to go through the day.

So who knows really what we need? Clearly it's not us! It has to be the one who made us. A robot can't tell you what it needs, its creator will tell it/you. How nice for us that our creator has written a manual detailing all that we actually need! Now all we need to do is study that manual...

Who has your back?

 When I was in secondary school, there was a time when I should have been whacked by my friends. However, they all left me alone. I was initially puzzled then a friend explained to me: it's because my mom was a teacher in the school. She had my back.

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” - Daniel 3:16-18

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego was so courageous before King Nebuchadnezzar because they knew that God has their back. No matter what trouble they face, they know they can charge forward because of who was supporting them.

If God was with them all those years ago, we can take courage that He is similarly with us when we follow Him. In today's world, there is so much danger. There's constant talk of war. COVID-19 is still rampant around the world. Closer to home, there's snatch thieves ready to strike at any moment. Drivers on the road seem like they learnt from a blind guy. Don't forget all the haters on social media and all the criticism laid on Christians. It's so easy to give in to fear.

But how do we stop fear? It looks unstoppable. With our own strength, we cannot. We can't stop all wars. The world doesn't have a cure for COVID-19. We are no match against dangers coming at us with parangs. There will always be that bigger, stronger foe in front of us. We have to look to the bigger, strongest one there is: Jesus Christ. I step out into the world confident not that I won't catch the virus, won't run into danger. I step out with confidence that when these dangers approach me, God will take care of me. He protects, He comforts, He heals, He restores.

That’s why I only want to go where God is. Back to my teenage life example, I'm only safe because my mom was nearby. If my mom was in another school, I wouldn't have that protection. So it is with my spiritual walk. I wanna be near Him because it's only near Him that I'm covered by the shadow of His wings. Near Him, I'm protected. When I am near Him, He can comfort me. I'm near enough that He can heal or restore me. God can't whisper words of encourage if I'm far away. How to be near God? Simple; pray to Him, listen to His word, obey His commands. And when we see His miracles at work in our lives, worship Him.

What are you willing to lose?

 There's been a question that has been on my mind without me knowing it. If you read the Bible, you will read of God's many promises. You would read of how God loves us and wants to bless us. And since we know and experience so much of God, why do we find it so hard to follow Him? Jesus simply said, follow me. And yet, we find it so difficult to do so. We have so many excuses or simply a flat out no. Many heard/hears the gospel, so few actually obey. What is stopping people?

It finally hit me: following Jesus requires sacrifice. It's not that people don't want to claim all the Jesus has promised, they are afraid of what they would have to give up to do so. Following Jesus has never been the popular choice. To be a true follower, it means being shunned by your peers, family and friends. Maybe even going against the government. We want to be accepted by our loved ones, by our community. Risking that acceptance is very hard.

Following Jesus also means going His way, not ours. Those childhood dreams? You gotta let it go. Wanting your way, wearing the clothes you want, eating the food you want? You may have to give it up. That dream career you wanted, the lifestyle you were going to live with that career? God demands us to surrender it. And for many, they can't do this. It's a dream of many years. It could be something we have worked on our entire life. Our identity may be tied up in it.

Is it worth giving all these up? Is it worth losing your identity, what you've known yourself to be since you could remember? Is it worth living all on your own, not having anyone on Earth to depend on? If you ask King David, Samuel, Jesus disciples... the answer is a resounding yes!

Jesus promises that whatever we give up, as big as it is, He has something better for us. That dream life you wanted? God can take that sacrifice and provide it in His way. In fact, He can give you something that you think was beyond you. That community that shunned you? God gives you a new community; one that supports you like you were never supported before.

Flip the perspective. That lifelong dream? It's only been yours for a couple of decades. What is that compared to eternity with God? The angels and saints are cheering you on; ready to back you up all the way. You will see miracles that you never thought possible. What did you dream you could achieve? God can multiply that beyond your comprehension. And you have forever in heaven to enjoy it.

The price seems big but looking at the prize, it's worth it. In life, we need to sacrifice something to gain something else. We sacrifice time at work to grow our career. We sacrifice (sell/dispose) things to make way for new things. To win the tournament, athletes sacrifice their food, their time with friends and family, their comforts. All in the pursuit of the highest goal. So if the highest goal in life is to be with God, shouldn't we also expect to sacrifice something equally valuable if not more valuable?

Here I am

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” - Isaiah 6:8

Many a times, we want to follow after Christ. But what does that mean? And are we "good enough"?

Reflect back on your life. How many times have we "waited" to hear a specific direction from the Lord? Perhaps we think we can only be used when we have retired? Or only those in full time ministry will hear the audible voice of the Lord? Then there are the times that we disqualify ourselves. Oh, God can't use me... I don't have the right personality/character/skills/abilities/<insert our lack here>

But have God ever sent the able? Did the heroes of the Bible have it altogether when God sent them out? Reading the bible, we see the apostles still learning as they preach to the world. Paul had to chastise Peter. David still had his faults when he fulfilled God's prophecy of becoming king. Esther had doubts till the day she spoke to the king. Jonah had unforgiveness even after he gave the message of God to Nineveh.

These examples that clearly, God isn't sending those who have the necessary tools for the job. In fact, He seems to prefer sending those who don't have the tools. So what is God really after? Isaiah has shown us the answer in his reply: God is looking for those who will say "Here am I. Send me!".

We frequently forget that God is the ruler of the universe. He has all the tools for the job. If he can create the world in 7 days, what can He not do? But God wants to partner with us. He wants His glory to happen through the faithful; those who will obey Him unquestioningly. God is looking for those who are available. The ones who is willing to follow Him anywhere and everywhere. To be used like putty in His hands.

I have uttered the same words to God many times in my life. I still do till this day. It's a blank check to God for Him to use me as He sees fit. When I first obeyed, it wasn't to do something I was good at. It was doing something I have a track record of doing badly. How weird is that?! And for the next 10 years, God kept calling me to do things that I am not good at. To do things where I had no one to depend on, not even myself. So many times I have felt out of my depth. So many times have I seen myself not good enough. So many failures in my eyes.

But that is also the time when I saw God at work in and through me. I have seen Him bless the multitudes through my inadequacies. I have seen His power, His majesty, His blessings, His glory at work. Where my hands have failed, God has picked up the slack. When I had no one to depend on, God was all I had. He work in powerful ways; making my work not just satisfactory but very successful. I've seen Him provide. I've seen Him sustain. 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts - Zech 4:6b

In the end, the question to us is still the same: will you go? Nothing else matters, not our strength nor our weaknesses. Not the skill or knowledge we have nor the failures that have happened in the past. When God comes and meet with us, the only question He asks is the same that Isaiah heard. Will you go for God? To live completely for Him; obeying him in everything regardless of who we are and where we are heading? Will we simply, obey?