An interesting story has emerged in the last week or so, about the love life of Madonna. Now, aside from the fact that her love life is probably no one’s business but her own, an interesting comment was made about her: Madonna’s really only in love with herself. Interesting idea because, the reality is, that’s the state of every sinner, being in love with herself. Our sin nature creates us egocentric, believing that we are the center of the universe (or should be). Living sacrificially, or even living rightly, isn’t something that comes naturally but is, rather, a discipline that as believers we can choose.
“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me’” (Matthew 16:24 NRSV).
Denying ourselves isn’t something we do easily or naturally. In fact, if we are truly honest with ourselves, it isn’t something we do . . . period. We only deny ourselves when a thing is impossible anyway. And the fact is, the discipline of denying ourselves should be something we practice on a regular basis.
Why? What does this have to do with the passage in Proverbs?
This passage says: “[The Lord] refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.” The opposite of denying ourselves is trying to satisfy our cravings. And such gain is ill-gotten because it focuses on our lusts rather than upon our trust in God. You see, if we believe that God will provide for us then we don’t need to go out and try to get for ourselves. But if we believe that God may allow us to starve (whether physically or emotionally), then we will try to “gain” what we don’t have. Such gain is ill-gotten because it is outside of God’s provision and of His will.
I think that we often live unsatisfied lives because we refuse to trust God to provide and instead try to satisfy ourselves with ill-gotten gains. And whether or not we are starving physically (actually hungry) or emotionally (where we are lonely or starving for affection or attention), it is the hand of the Lord Himself who is withholding our ability to be satisfied. He does this out of love for us because our “nourishment” should come from Him and Him alone, not from anything else. The Lord alone makes it possible for us to walk through life in a spirit of peace and contentment. We can’t be contented (satisfied) unless what we have received comes from Him.
2008 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. International copyright reserved. This study may be copied for nonprofit and/or church purposes only without permission when copied in its entirety (including this notice).
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