A few weeks ago, I was visiting my sister in Delaware – it was such a nice day and we decided to sit outside on the patio. Now, I’ve sat in one of those zero-gravity lounge chairs before – of course I have! But there was something extra-special and super-comfortable about the one she had. I kept telling her over and over how much I loved that chair. Of course, she informed me she had gotten it at Walmart, so guess what? As soon as we finished chatting, I said, “you feel like going to Walmart??”
So off we went. We didn’t waste any time – I was on a mission. She led me straight back to the department where she had purchased the chair a couple of weeks earlier. Much to my dismay, there was not one single chair left. I even asked the salesperson and he informed me that they had sold out really fast. Not what I was hoping to hear!
Did I let it go?? Of course not. I came home and headed straight for the local Walmart. No luck. So I did what anyone would do. I went online and ordered one from Walmart.com. which finally arrived about a week ago. I was so excited!! I unpacked it, brought it out on the back patio with my Nook and some iced tea, and enjoyed my new purchase for the next hour or so.
Of course, as is usually the case, the novelty more-or-less wore off, and I think I’ve sat in that chair a grand total of ten minutes since that day. The chair I thought was going to change my life soon proved itself to be a little bit of a let-down. Oh sure – it’s still super-comfortable, but as with so many other things I’ve felt I HAD to have over the years, I quickly realized I could have lived without it after all.
You know, God built that feeling into us – the constant feeling that we want and we need SOMETHING that will finally make us feel completely satisfied. And we always believe that our latest want or desire is going to be that thing. We build it up in our minds and we can hardly rest until we obtain that next whatever – car, home, vacation, lounge chair – whatever. But then, once it is ours, it quickly loses its power and we’re on to the next thing.
You’d think we’d get clued in after a while, wouldn’t you? God HIMSELF put that need inside of us – that need to find the one thing that will finally satisfy us. Of course, it turns out to not be any of the things we think or we hope it will be. It turns out that the only thing that will really fill the need inside of us is God – building and nurturing a relationship with God.
I hope we all remember that the next time we’re tempted to run out and get the latest and greatest item that sparks our interest. The satisfaction won’t last – but our relationship with the Lord will.
Pastor Janice