much too much
"They were filled with amazement." —Matthew 13:54
We want God to help us, bless us, and be there when we need Him. However, He wants us to help Him, bless Him, and be there when He needs us. We want to tell God what to do, but He wants to tell us what to do and take over our lives. That's much more than we had in mind.
Like the people of Nazareth, we find Jesus "altogether too much" for us (Mt 13:57). If only Jesus would stay in His place, come when He's called, speak only when spoken to, and visit occasionally...
But, no, He wants to run our entire lives and be with us constantly. We can't go anywhere without Him tagging along. We can't go on a date, watch TV, or even go to the bathroom without Him being there, all the time. We might feel like dwelling on sexual fantasies, committing sexual sins, or getting high. Yet with Jesus there all the time, we can't have any "fun."
We have no privacy. We can't do as we please. Jesus is too much. He's too concerned about our actions. He spends too much time with us. Twenty-four hours a day, every day, is excessive. Jesus refuses to be Lord of anything in our lives unless He can be Lord of everything.
Is He asking too much?
Prayer: Jesus, because You died for me, I give my life to You unreservedly.
Promise: "When you come into the land which I am giving you, and reap your harvest, you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest." —Lv 23:10
Praise: Having experienced a conversion of heart, Rhonda felt uncomfortable smoking cigarettes knowing the Lord was always present. She prayed for and received deliverance from her addiction.
Rescript: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 14, 2007
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