The newly engaged Jared and Whitney (yes, he just took a shower so his hair is a little wet...I hope).

How should we measure the difference between what we want, what we get, and what we deserve?

Many find their happiness dissipating in the chasms between these monolithic ideals.

We do not live a culture that allows us to have a proper view of these things. Money is highly valued and so is what it can buy. We tend to be propelled forward by desires that seem to incubate overnight and carry little critical thought as to their actual necessity.

Our capitalistic society has done very well with the whole marketing corresponds to sales, and supply vs demand availability. We see something on tv and we want it...especially if it we can find a niche in our lives that matches up to the professed attributes.

Seldom does this take into account wants vs needs. There is little we need, but much that we want and pursue. Happiness is falsely tied to gain. Gain does not bring happiness. Happiness is borne from the realization that we have received what we did not deserve. It is tied more to the philosophical than the physical.

Recently, a South American pastor was in the states, and as he traveled the cities here, he relayed that the homes he was seeing were what he had always expected our heavenly dwellings to look like.

What are we 'expecting' in our lives?

Is it any wonder that in our culture we have little real understanding for what those in other countries are going through? This is a critical point in understanding what happens in the heart of Americans who serve in missions and see how little is actually required to survive. At the very least, one returns with a different definition of wealth.

Our children (and even we) suffer not from lack of needs being met, but from an attitude of entitlement. We believe we should have "bigger and better" because those around us do. This view of life runs rampant in the USA. We are a very blessed nation and we consume the largest portion of the worlds resources. We do very little with our wealth that contributes to the improved lives of others. We tend to be very self-centered and selfish.

Unfortunately, this attitude has also penetrated our churches.

Some of the most precious worship I have experienced has happened on splinter infested benches with dirt floor chasers. Sometimes there was even a roof.

We would never settle for anything close to that, as we expect and can afford to do so much more.

My intent today is to point out the obvious. We are heading into a time of year that might be better termed as 'tis the season to get what's due me!' As we fill out Christmas lists that contain a laundry list of large expensive items, we need to take a second look at the inequity that may exist between what we are asking for and what we are giving.

What do we want? MORE!

What do we get? Closer to what we want than we deserve.

What do we deserve? Eternal separation from the Lord God.

What do we need? Jesus plus nothing.

dad