Sing to the Lord,
for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
(Isaiah 12:5)
In the late 1980s, the singer Janet Jacket released a song titled, “What have you done for me lately?”. The main character is sitting around with her friends talking about their partners. As she recounts life with her partner, she lists the perks of their relationship, saying, “Yeah, I love him, and he is fine, but…”. Her friends goad her to proclaim, “But what has he done for me lately?”
Although it has a catchy tune, the song shares a message of selfish, self-motivated desires. It is an attitude that, in 2023, fills the minds of many on this planet who struggle to find satisfaction with what they have. People are demanding more; even when they get more, more is needed. It is a mindset that is also creeping into the Christian community. Many expect quick, if not immediate, results from God because they did ask in prayer. Many often need to remember we are most likely to be blessed with what we need and not necessarily what we want.
One of the names of God is Yahweh-Yireh, which means “the Lord will provide”. He has provided, but somehow, we have forgotten what he has done for us. A second article in this newsletter titled, “What God has done for us”, reminds us we have been given all we need to sustain us and prepare us for eternity with God. Scripture reminds us that we can ask anything and pray about everything. However, the caveat “God’s will” is best understood if we remember, appreciate, enjoy, and use what we have been given already.
Consider this little challenge. If Christ were to appear before you today and ask, “What have you done for Me lately?” What would you say? Maybe you would start listing things you have done: “prayed, read your bible, helped an old lady across the street.” May I suggest that as we share our list of what you do, Jesus would interrupt you and remind us that it is our hearts He desires and that our focus should be on loving God with our whole being and loving others.