POINT

God loves you and God is for you and God will provide for you, but the motivation behind all that isn't your awesomeness.  Rather, it's all for God.

What God wants is that His name be eternally praised in the universe.  He's the reason everything exists, to display His infinite perfection.

Every media ad is pointed against that.
You earned it.
You deserve it.
Why wouldn't you take all you can get?
Have it your way.
You're exceptional.

But you aren't.  I'm sorry.

Every time we say we deserve it or say how amazing we are, we're one step closer to presuming to be the center of the universe.

But you aren't.

God is the center of it all.  Here's why that's the best news you'll hear all year.

God being about God is infinitely better than God being about you.  Because nobody is a greater threat to you than you.

Have people jacked with you?  Absolutely.  But how you've responded to that is all you.  You're the greatest enemy of your own joy, not God.  Not anyone else.  You are.

The good news is, if you aren't the center of the universe, that frees you in a thousand ways.  Because if I'm the whole point, then I have a long list of things Joelene needs to start doing for me.  And last time I checked, though she's a great wife, she isn't doing a lot of them.  I'm just saying, she isn't.

If I'm the point, then my kids need to get back here and complete the list I had for them that they never finished before they traipsed off to college and got degrees and husbands.

If I'm the point, then I need to store all my money and never give any of it.

If I'm the point, when you cut me off in traffic, I'm going to have to follow you home and punch you in the face.

If I'm the point, I'm easily offended, because it's my universe, so you should never look at me the wrong way.

Because I'm the point.

But if I'm not the point, I'm free.  Really.

If I'm not the point, it's hard to offend me.

If I'm not the point, I'm liberated to love Joelene and not have a list of things she'd better do for me.

If I'm not the point, I don't have to be constantly worried about what I have or what I give.

If I'm not the point, every church gathering doesn't have to serve every single one of my needs or preferences.

If I'm not the point.

But if everything is about me,  all that is very difficult.

Fortunately, all of this isn't about you or me.  It's all about God and His mission is that His glory be displayed in the universe.

Whew!

And be blessed.