Charity doesn't like Bubblegum

My youngest daughter, Charity, is now a spunky 13. She has always despised the smell of bubblegum. If she is riding in the car and someone puts a piece of Bubblegum in their mouth, you would think someone farted (of course that would never happen in our family). Charity immediately has her nose out the window getting some fresh air. I know, that doesn’t seem normal for kids these days, but she is definitely her own person.

As I was thinking about this the other day, a parallel came to mind. Too often we treat God as the bubblegum machine and our praise as the nickel to GET something from Him.

Think about the two Mary’s “At dawn on the first day, Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary went to look at the tomb…” Matthew 28:1. They climbed the hill without expectations from Jesus because he was already dead. They did it because they were true disciples and loved Jesus. They wanted to honor Him and treat His body properly. They were going to the tomb to give PERIOD.

When was the last time you lavished your praise on the Lord without a thought about your needs or any expectations about receiving something from Jesus? Just because you LOVED Him PERIOD. You see, Charity, mine or the love kind, is not motivated by bubblegum. Love does not look at God as its Sugar Daddy who give it whatever it wants. Oh we are all blessed by God, but not because we have Praised and Worshipped Him, but because He loves us so much and takes great pleasure in lavishing His love on us! I John 3:1 NIV.

I want to lavish my praise and worship on the Lord out of a pure motivation. Because I am His disciple, because I Love Him and because I am devoted to Him. Not because I like bubblegum so much. God has greater things planned for us than we have ever imagined! Our bubblegum mentality is so short sighted and small.

Something wonderful does happen when our praise and worship is properly motivated. We Change! Our perspective is lifted and we see life differently. We start walking in authority and favor and chains are broken and we begin to live in the Liberty of the Spirit!