Why is it we always want More? We are never settled with what we have and somehow built not only into our culture but our individual lives is this incessant need for More. Organisations around the world get bigger and our bank accounts gets smaller on this desire we have for More. Is this desire for More wrong? Is it evil in some way? Or could it actually be a God thing?
I have recently been asking this question and as I have been thinking it through and looking at scripture there a few things I have discovered.
Right back in Genesis 3 we see a girl with the world at her feet who desired More but here thirst for More caused the single biggest catastrophe this world has ever known – she sinned for the first time! Again was it wrong she want wanted More or was it wrong where she found herself looking for More?
Eve desired More and when Satan dangled the apple in front of her there suddenly seemed a solution to her desire for More. The problem with what Satan dangled in front of her was that it was filled with lies and deceit and on his way to convincing Eve to eat the apple he not only questioned the word of God but misquoted it.
I believe God has placed a desire for More within each and every single one of us but the problem often comes in the places we search for More. We are constantly looking for a physical solution to a spiritual problem. The danger we face in our pursuit for More is along the way we begin to question and misquote the word of God. Somehow, like Eve we feel God is holding out on us and we need to make things happen for ourselves.
Let me say this to you….this world has nothing of significance to offer! yet we spend huge amounts of money and time looking for More when all along the answer is a spiritual one and there is only one person who can fulfil that desire.
Jesus said these words in John 8:12
“I am the light of the word, whoever follows me will never be in darkness again”
When Jesus said these words he was obviously talking to a bunch of people living in darkness and presumably wanted More. They wanted to get away from the darkness and into the light. When we get close to Jesus, when we move past the experience of church and begin a relationship with Jesus and follow him we find the More we so desperately wanted.
The first thing God did was separate darkness and light and Jesus came to separate darkness and light in our lives. We all have areas of darkness in our lives but many of us bury it or worse deny it but Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of god”. When the light of Jesus comes we either front up and allow him to deal with the areas of darkness or we run as far away as we can. Why? Because its painful!
Jesus’ light is offensive to us. It is is going to sting but it is a temporary sting and if we trust him or as Jesus himself says “follow him” we will never be in darkness again. If we don’t follow all we will do is buy temporary make-up to cover up our sin and that is both expensive and very short term.
You see Jesus’ light doesn’t just offend but it reveals obstacles and opportunities. The more we know Him, the more we will trust Him, the more we trust Him we willingly sacrifice our lives to Him. When we sacrifice our lives to him He is able to easily reveal obstacles and opportunities (See Acts 26:12-17) that lie before us in our God given pursuit for More.
I guess most amazingly the light of Jesus helps us overcome. He doesn’t offend or reveal obstacles to leave us there but to pull us through. This can often be the big hurdle we fall down at because we don’t believe we can overcome. But here’s the thing Jesus says “Follow me”.
There is a lie that exists that says ‘you can accomplish anything you want or be anyone you want if you only believe in yourself’. The problem with me is I fall into the Romans 3:23 category which leads me to question why would I believe in me? Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives me strength” nothing to do with me but all to do with him.
If you follow Him you will overcome.
So, I urge you to desire More for you life, It is a God given desire that he wants to fulfil. Stick close to Jesus and allow his light not to only shine in you and expose darkness but let it shine through you to a world covered in darkness and you blind the sucker.
For teaching on this subject click here
J.P.McAuley
17/03/2012 at 00:02
Indeed even in him we desire more. As we endeavour to seek, draw close we constantly ask for more of our Saviour. For each and every day we need his grace and mercy anew, we need to ask to receive all that he has for us! Thanks & may God continue to bless you.
=J