The Divine Vending Machine

 

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20 ESV).

 

When Mary was in the hospital last year I was allowed to stay with her 24 hours a day. I spent those eight days doing what little I could to help in her recovery. I got to know the hospital staff and routine very well. Two of the places I frequented the most were the staff coffee room and the floor waiting area. The waiting area was my stop for regular snacks that I existed on during the late evening and early morning. I was very happy to conquer the use of my debit card for the forbidden delights I needed to supplement the caffeine from copious amounts of pretty bad coffee. The greatest part of using the vending machines is that when I put my “money” in I always got what I wanted in return. After all, that’s how they are designed to work. So, honey buns (lots of sugar in the icing) and pop tarts (I could convince myself it was relatively healthy) were the primary choices.

 

Now, there are some folks who think the Bible is little more than a divine vending machine. These folks would tell us that if you are having trouble in your marriage, God has a promise that will make your marriage better. If you are struggling financially, God has a promise that will make your bank account swell. All you have to do is pick and choose the verse that contains your favorite promise, and life will get better. The problem with that way of thinking is that God is not some divine vending machine. The promises in the Bible are not that you will be healthy, wealthy, and wise.

 

There is a promise that we get every time, however. God promises that he will be with you. Jesus doesn’t promise that He will prevent fire and floods. Instead, He promises that he will be with us as we pass through fire and as floods overwhelm us. You may think this is a cheap promise, but if you understand God’s nature, you can grasp that this is a tremendous gift. Jesus is the source of all good things, so having Him with us is the best possible way to live. His presence does not guarantee that every moment will be blissful, but it does mean that we have the greatest blessings available. His gift of himself is the greatest gift of all.