God Speaks Through Yucky Bottles

  I love when The Holy Spirit talks to me when I'm not asking for it.  I love hearing God's voice in the midst of the seemingly mundane tasks of the day.  This week, that moment came when I went to get Jude out of his crib one morning.  On a normal day, I wait to hear him stirring and then I go get his breakfast ready so he can go straight to his food instead of following me screaming until it's ready.  This day he woke up crying so I picked him up before making his food.  On the way to the kitchen, I saw his bottle from the night before and picked it up to put it in the dishwasher.  Well, as soon as that bottle was in the kid's line of vision, it was ON.  He screamed, he grabbed, he cried, he pulled... all the while I was repeating things like "No, that's yucky."  "Momma's going to make you a good one."  "That will make you sick."  "Let's go get some yummy food." etc...  Then in my spirit I felt God say, "Do you know how many times you look like that?"  The Spirit showed me that so many times, I've reached out for what's in front of me, for the convenient thing, whatever was close and available.  And God was whispering, "No, that's yucky...I'm making you something better.  That will hurt you...I have something that will bless you and bring Me glory..."
 
  As we all know, America is all about instant satisfaction and convenience.  Internet, fast food, DVR...  But convenience is not really God's priority.  God likes for us to wait.  (It's waiting for us anyway, not for Him, since time is not relevant to Him.)  And the wait isn't just to drive us crazy.  He uses the wait (in my opinion) to strengthen us by making us dependent on Him.  Because in the waiting time, there is no sure thing.  We are forced to put our reasoning aside and simply hold on to His promises, bind ourselves to Him in prayer, and expect Him to do what He does.  Satan will put seemingly good, convenient things in our path to distract us.  He waves that yucky bottle all around to keep you from getting the good stuff that God has waiting.  He waves that "convenient lifestyle" in your face and makes it look so appealing.
 
  It's easy to say the words "I'm a Christian."  It's easy to get up on Sunday, drive to church, stand during a few songs, sit for a sermon, go home and go on about your day.  It's easy to work, eat, sleep, repeat...and mumble a prayer here and there, and open your bible if you happen to have a spare moment.  And say, "I'm a Christian."
 
  But is God only worthy of Sundays?  Is He only looking for those who claim His name?  If so, He doesn't need to look far.  But I believe God is looking for those who KNOW Him.  Not those who know about Him, but those who know Him by experience.  Those who marry themselves to Him and His will.  Those who say no to the mundane.  Those who turn their head at the yucky bottle and press forward to the fresh, full bottle, the life dedicated to God every single moment of every single day...the life that won't quit glorifying the Father because they'd rather die than to quit...the life that is inconvenient...the life that is not about self, but about others, and ultimately God.  That's what Christianity was meant to be.
 
  Give up the yucky bottle and press on.  Seek Him.  Commit to Him.  Pound on heaven's door as you pray.  Set yourself inside His will in every aspect of your life.  Let Him consume you.  Love like Jesus loved, serve like He served, pray like He prayed, speak like He spoke.  Hold out for the better life not just because it's better for you and will bless you, although it is and it will.  But do it because we serve a God who's worthy of us drinking the yummy bottle.