A Hunger For...Sex

Now that I have your attention...ahem...let's focus, shall we!

I am reading through A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer by John Piper.  It is an excellent read!  Basically, it is a book on the relevance of prayer and fasting for the modern Christian in this generation.

This morning I read something that made me really stop and examine myself.  Let me share it with you.

"Do you love Jesus so much that his coming would be the greatest thing you can imagine?  Or is he ...someone who helps you with a bad conscience, but isn't someone you would want to interrupt your life?...How do you feel about being told that fasting for the King's coming may reflect how much you want the Bridegroom to come?  Do your plans for that long-awaited retirement fill you with stronger passion for the Messiah appeal to any of us at all?  Do we want the appearance of Jesus more than we want to finish our career and family plans?  Or our next meal?"

I am about to make myself very vulnerable here, but I think it will...well, first of all, it will give you a good laugh, but then I believe that it may help put this in perspective as you think about the things you long to do before Christ's return.

When I was in high school I remember praying this prayer multiple times maybe once or twice:)
"Lord, I love you so much! ... but PLEASE allow me to be able to have sex before you come back!"

That was the gist of it anyway...ahem...

After reading the paragraph from Piper above, this prayer that I prayed so many years ago came back to me.  I wanted sex more that God!  Praise the Lord he granted my request before His return, ha.  But, sadly, my mindset hasn't shifted much through the years.  I may not be begging for sex anymore (wives, can you relate here?) but now my prayers go something like this, "Lord, I love you so much!...but PLEASE allow us to have at least one more baby before you come back!"  or "...PLEASE allow our ministry to _______________ before your return!" or "...please allow our family to go (or have) _________________ before your return!"

My goodness!  What in the world could be greater than the Lord's glorious appearing?  Why on earth would we long for something so trivial as sex, a family trip, another child (although, this one is a wonderful blessing), a retirement fund, a growing savings account, a job change, a raise, a record deal... more than we would long to be in the presence of the King of Kings, our own Heavenly Father, the God of the Universe.

I don't know about you, but I need to refocus my priorities!