Don’t Take Me for Granted!

“Don’t take me for granted!”  Have you ever said or felt that?  I’m sure we all have, numerous times.  None of us like to feel that our actions or personhood are being taken for granted.  It leaves us feeling invisible, worthless, like a non-person.  And our typical response is frustration and anger.  We want “them” to see just how much they depend on us and don’t realize it.  “I’ll show them,” we say as we contemplate revenge.

But have you ever considered all the things you take for granted everyday…like air for instance?  Did you know, that on average, you take about 23,000 breaths per day, inhaling 10,800 liters of air? 

Unless it is very smoggy, you probably don’t even think about the air around you. You can’t see it or feel it, and the air is always there when you need it, so you just take it for granted.  But how long would you survive in a vacuum chamber?  Probably not more than a maximum of 6-10 minutes.  Air is critical for your survival and you just take it for granted.

Right now you may be thinking, “Come on Che!  Air is a substance.  Taking a substance for granted is very different than taking a person for granted.”  Of course you’re right.  But there is a person who is closer than the air we breathe, and more vital to our survival than our next breath.  He’s the creator and sustainer of everything that is.  Whether we realize it or not, He’s our protector, defender and loving best friend.  He is God, but we can’t see or feel Him, so it’s easy to take Him completely for granted.

God doesn’t like being taken for granted anymore than we do, but for a very different reason.  We get offended at being overlooked and want to pull back from the relationship.  God loves us so much that He desires intimacy with us no matter how much we ignore Him.  He understands that the more we know Him and experience His love, the more we will trust Him and allow Him to do good things in and for us.  He longs to abundantly bless us, but often we are not open to receive from Him, so we get very little.

Years ago as a new Christian, I learned it was vital for me to seek God everyday and spend time with Him.  I wanted His counsel and guidance to direct my plans, and I needed His love and encouragement.  I found it most helpful to begin each day pursuing His presence, a practice I continue to this day.  When I begin my day this way I have clarity and focus, plans come together, and I am productive and feel on top of my game.   

When I get distracted and neglect my time with Him, circumstances compete for my attention.  I lose clarity, have difficulty focusing, and get frustrated as I struggle to get things done. I start feeling anxious and irritated.  I realize I am trying to make my life work in a spiritual vacuum.  My vital contact with God is disrupted and I’m starved for His presence and intimacy with Him.  When I once again seek Him, I am refreshed and my life comes back into balance.

Don’t cheat yourself by living in a spiritual vacuum.  Seek God’s presence daily.  Let Him surround you with His life-giving blessings and experience how your life will become filled with purpose, direction and deep satisfaction.  And next time you feel taken for granted, use it as an opportunity to ask yourself, “Am I taking God for granted today?” 

This Sunday at 10:30 AM we will look at the Biblical King David who made it his life goal to never take God for granted.  He pursued intimacy with God with such passion, that God named him “a man after God’s own heart.”  Come join us and discover how David kept God’s presence first in his life.  Our guest speaker, Cindy Jacobs, will discuss “The Tabernacle of David,” the second part in our current series on “Wired for Worship.”