Whenever we give something, we expect a reward. We want something back for what we have given. Even when we offer God our worship and praise, or whenever we sacrifice ""our" time and money, we expect God to repay with something. This is part of our selfish nature. And in some respects, it is only natural to expect God to act in the same way. But our God is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He has no needs. Our prayers do not make Him stronger, money does not make Him more capable, and worship does not make Him smarter or immortal. God does not "get" anything from us because He has already given us everything we have. God does not ask us to give our lives to Him because He has ulterior motives. God simply desires love from His creation; all of His creation. This is why He is a God who does not show paritality or take bribes - as our offerings and sacrifices can become at times. He is the God of the orphan and widom, who have nothing to bribe, much less offer. He is the God of the foreigner and stranger, because we are all strangers in this land, citizens of another place.
Slave or king, God is Lord over them all. John Piper challenges us to think of ourselves in this humble manner: "If we will recognize our widow-like, orphan-like, refugee-like condition of helplessness, and rely on free grace from a self-sufficient Savior, then we will be loved forever. And being loved like this, we will have power and pleasure in loving like we are loved."
God is love, and God desires love. that is all there is to it. Why be prideful? Where does that take us, except further from Christ? We have already been justificed by Christ. Now we need to take up the challenge to let ourselves be made Holy by a Holy God.
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