" DESIRES "

This week we are once again looking into " Desires." Desire is defined in this manner: Eagerness to obtain or enjoy; Aspiration; a request to obtain; The object of desire; Love, Lust. (desiring, desired). To wish for the possession or enjoyment of; to covet; to ask; to petition. A burning desire for possessions can sometimes point us in the wrong direction. I'm reminded of Abram and Lot now Lot's greedy desire for the best of everything led him into sinful surroundings. His burning desire for possessions and success cost him his freedom and enjoyment. As a captive to chedorlaomer, he faced torture,and slavery, in much the same way, we can be enticed into doing things or going places we shouldn't. The prosperity we long for is captivating; it can both entice us and enslave our desires. Sometimes our desires, immediate vs. long-range desires must truly be thought out. Take for example Esau who traded the lasting benefits of his birthright for the immediate pleasure of food. He acted on impulse, satisfying his immediate desires without pausing to consider the long-range consequences of what he was about to do. We can fall into the same trap. When we see something we want, our first impulse is to get it. At first we feel intensely satisfied and sometimes even powerful because we have obtained what we set out to get. But immediate pleasure often loses sight of the future. We can avoid making Esau's mistake by comparing the short-term satisfaction with long-range consequences before we act. Now I'm of the mind that Esau probably could have won an Oscar that evening. Anyway he exaggerated his hunger. " I'm about to die," he said. This thought made his choice much easier because if he was starving, what good was an inheritance anyway? The pressure of the moment distorted his perspective and made his decision seem urgent. Call upon the Lord in your decision making process. Until Next Time... Jim,