Wanting to Want

Jeremiah 5:21-23

“ ‘Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear: Should you not fear me?’ declares the Lord. ‘Should you not tremble in my presence?  I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.  The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.  But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.’ “
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When I read this portion of Jeremiah, I think about a conversation which has occurred for probably hundreds of years between wives and husbands:

“It would be great if you could help more around the house” she says. 

“OK, “he begrudgingly replies, and starts washing the dishes, making extra noise by placing things a little to aggressively in the sink. 

“What?!?” she asks. 

“What’s the problem, I’m helping around the house!” 

“I want you to WANT to help around the house!”, she implores.

Free will is a tough thing.  God controls every element of this universe; the sun, stars, planets…entire galaxies and their courses across the expanse of space.  He keeps the sea in its boundaries.  But, He cannot make us love Him.

No matter the evidence, the blessings…even sending us His own Son to die for our sins, He cannot control our “stubborn and rebellious hearts”.  In order to love Him, we have to make the choice.

The good news?  Even if we don’t love Him, even if we don’t accept the gift of Christ’s sacrifice for us, He never stops loving us.  He never stops offering the gift for us to reach out and accept it.  He lovingly and patiently waits for us to WANT to want Him.

Wonderful God, 

We walk in your Creation daily and wonder at its majesty.  The sun rises and gives warmth.  As it sets, you paint a magnificent masterpiece in the evening sky for our enjoyment. 

The soft falling of snow, the gentle rain, the bright stars on a velvety deep above us; they are all in Your hands. 

Yet we know, Lord, that it is us who must come to You.  Even though you choose us above all else, we have to turn our hearts in order to truly and richly experience Your blessing. 

We thank you for the gift of our ability to want to come to You and Your instant and unconditionally willingness to let us walk into your outstretched arms of love. 

In Christ’s name, we pray, 

Amen.