Faithful, flawed, like Abraham and Sarah
They waited so long for Isaac. In due season
The Promise rested, flesh and blood in eager arms.
Beyond happy, it consumed until gloom crept in
And stole joy away. They had more than desired
Yet promise fulfilled couldn’t stay wearying misery.
Adoring the blessing, they ignored the Provider
Focused on the reward, they lost the Guide
Idolizing the gift, they missed the Giver
And opened the door to the slinky thief.

We are all looking for something, either we don’t have or better than we already have. Every believer is believing God for something. We assume life will be amazing if we get what we seek; if I get that job, if we buy that house, if we hit that deal, if I marry that person, if I have that child, if I recover from this condition…. We forget that we live in an unideal world, under continuously changing conditions, with imperfect people who err despite their good intentions.

It is not sinful to dream and desire. God delights when we delight in His gifts. But it is not okay to get carried away by these that we lose focus of Him. God’s blessings come to make us rich and joyful. They have to be received and enjoyed with all eyes on the Giver. Otherwise the gift steals our attention and we miss Him who teaches us how to make the most of them, opening doors for the enemy to creep in and steal, through something that was sent to add to our lives.

Any gift that takes our focus from God and redirects it upon person(s) or thing(s) is bound to end in disappointment. God will not share His glory with another. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. Every person and thing will fail at some point – it’s just nature. The only one who never fails is God. His heart breaks each time we lavish our affection on people or things at the expense of our intimacy with Him.

God may use someone to answer our prayers. God may use something to meet our needs. Still they have no right to take His place in our hearts, thoughts and dreams. God did it. God will sustain it. Therefore He alone deserves our primary affection and attention. Every gift has its place. Only through God do we learn to prioritize them accordingly. When we get distracted, we lose focus. We miss God, mix priorities, shift positions, oft without realizing it. Not because we planned to. Because we didn’t plan enough, ahead of time, to not allow the gift displace the Giver.

We can be so genuinely excited by answered prayer that it consumes us. Carried away, we unconsciously idolize the blessing, ignoring the Provider. Distraction is a killer. So also is idolatry. Any wonder Scripture cautions we guard our hearts diligently. I say jealously because it’s so easy to slip into that slippery slope, unaware that a gift which should draw us closer to God has become the reason we are turning our back on Him. God forbid! The enemy is not happy that we are happy. He seeks ways to corrupt the good and perfect gifts Abba gives His children. We fall victims when we are distracted. May we never lose our primary Passion, our chief Focus, the Beginning and the End of our all; the Fulfilment that fills all in all through all. May we never trade His place with another. Amen.

Glory!