Be Careful What You Request

“Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, Israel, prepare to meet your God.” – Amos 4:12.

Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, not light. – Amos 5:18.

“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.” – Matthew 18:28-30.

In Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, Shylock insists on getting a pound of Antonio’s flesh, then finds himself trapped by his request when Portia adjudicates the case. She adheres rigidly to the justice he demands. A pound of flesh he can have, but no blood. A pound of flesh he can cut, but only a pound—no more, no less, or he will pay with his own possessions. Shylock demanded judgment, figuring it would be to his profit, but he got justice, finding it to be his loss.

Many today who personally refuse God’s rule in their lives demand that he correct all the wrongs in society—the war, famine, disease, poverty—insisting his goodness is questionable if he doesn’t. Do they realize what it means to have God put an end to all trouble and troublemakers? When that happens, humanity loses its choices and decisions. Judgment will have come and all human misdeeds will be punished. Will those who clamor for it be ready? Is that really what they want? We should carefully consider our desires and requests—we may get them!

Courtesy of Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley © 1995 by Word, Incorporated.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV © 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved.