My Sweet Ride & What We All REALLY Deserve

Went to Texas last weekend and got a new (to me) rockin' mini-van. This thing is old school (it comes equipped with a VCR player --yes, that ancient technology that plays those huge rectangular cassette-type things-- and tiny screen!!!!!) and I absolutely LOVE it. It's spacious and actually blows cool air (the 2 points on my "the Dalton family needs a new vehicle" wish-list).

Cozy, huh?

On the way home from Texas yesterday we stopped at a donut shop on our way out. The bag that our donuts (I got a kolache - that's healthier, right?!) came in got me thinking:

My first reaction was "Why yes, yes I do!" Then this thought hit me: in reality the donut bag should say this:

This is the reality of our lives. I truly believe we as Christians have bought into the lie that we "deserve" the favor and blessing of God (also known as a Lexus, golden toilet, and private jet). There is nothing that punches the prosperity gospel in the face more than the fact that the ONLY thing we deserve from God is damnation for eternity. This is not taught in most mainstream American churches anymore. We go to church, sit in our pews, and hear the preacher talk on subjects that we would hear at a self-help therapy session or motivational conference. Where is the weeping that some of our family and friends not only deserve hell, like us, but will end up there due to their unrepentant hearts? Where is the hunger for God's Truth and the desire to go into the deepest depths of His Word? I no longer want to be the worldly "Christian" that can only tolerate milk (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) - I LONG FOR MEAT!

Just thinking on the fact that I deserve hell makes my heart swell in gratitude to our God! The whole gospel relies on the fact that we are sinners, deserving of hell, but that God did something extremely painful to Himself so that we would not have to get what we deserve. He is SO good, y'all! 

So.. next time this thought crosses your mind: "God, I really deserve ___________"... think twice about the reality of what you truly deserve and the lengths He went to make sure that was not what your future held. Once you change your perception to reality, whatever was in that blank will pass away and only the goodness of God will remain in your heart and mind!