Imagine you're at a top restaurant enjoying a meal when a couple are shown to the table beside you. He is about 90 years old, bald head and wrinkly face but his clothes betray wealth. She, on the other hand, is early 20's, blond, pretty and her clothes . . . well, there are hardly any!
You look closer and see they are both wearing wedding rings, this couple is married.
What are your thoughts?
"What a lovely couple" or "Gold digger?"
We've seen it in film, TV and in reality! And whether fictional or real i'm pretty sure we all feel some disgust at it and would say that it is plain wrong.
We Are Often Gold Diggers
However, we are often guilty of coming to Jesus in a like manner. Interested only in the promises He gives, and not overly concerned with Him.
We love the 'forgiveness' and 'get out of hell card' that He gives us but we're not in love with Him.
Surely this is why Jesus rebukes the people in John 6:26
"Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves."
These were a people who sought Jesus for the benefits He brought and missed the whole point of the signs He gave. The point of His miracles, gifts and benefits are to point to Himself as supreme satisfaction and fullness of joy.
Isn't this us? We seek Christ for what He gives rather than simply seeking Him. We are like a bride who strokes her wedding ring all day, whispering "my precious" (like Golumn) yet ignores her husband, apart from when the Jewelers need paid to polish up the ring.
We want God to sort out our problems, supply all our needs, give us what we want and build us a nice golden mansion where we can stay for eternity while angels give us foot-rubs.
But, Jesus when rebuking the people in John 6, gives clarity. He tells them (vs27) "Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." and then gives even more clarity by declaring (vs35) "I Am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."
Lets weigh ourselves up -
How often, in prayer do we ask God to do something?
And how often, in prayer do we simply ask for Jesus?
You look closer and see they are both wearing wedding rings, this couple is married.
What are your thoughts?
"What a lovely couple" or "Gold digger?"
We've seen it in film, TV and in reality! And whether fictional or real i'm pretty sure we all feel some disgust at it and would say that it is plain wrong.
We Are Often Gold Diggers
However, we are often guilty of coming to Jesus in a like manner. Interested only in the promises He gives, and not overly concerned with Him.
We love the 'forgiveness' and 'get out of hell card' that He gives us but we're not in love with Him.
Surely this is why Jesus rebukes the people in John 6:26
"Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves."
These were a people who sought Jesus for the benefits He brought and missed the whole point of the signs He gave. The point of His miracles, gifts and benefits are to point to Himself as supreme satisfaction and fullness of joy.
Isn't this us? We seek Christ for what He gives rather than simply seeking Him. We are like a bride who strokes her wedding ring all day, whispering "my precious" (like Golumn) yet ignores her husband, apart from when the Jewelers need paid to polish up the ring.
We want God to sort out our problems, supply all our needs, give us what we want and build us a nice golden mansion where we can stay for eternity while angels give us foot-rubs.
But, Jesus when rebuking the people in John 6, gives clarity. He tells them (vs27) "Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." and then gives even more clarity by declaring (vs35) "I Am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."
Lets weigh ourselves up -
How often, in prayer do we ask God to do something?
And how often, in prayer do we simply ask for Jesus?
