The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Desire (01/17/05)
I recently saw a shiny, new, bright yellow Hummer with the license tag: ForGod.

It kind of reminded me of a controversy not so long ago when a car company was using the slogan: "What would Jesus drive?"

I can only assume the Hummer driver was a Christian of sorts. Perhaps he was concerned about the End Times and was hedging his bets in case the Rapture leaves him behind and he needs to "monster truck" over the vacated carcasses of Honda Civics and Yugos to get supplies.

I don't want to single out luxury car owners when I say: "We've got a bad case of the broken wannas."

Desire is running amok. And we, as 21st century Americans with access to cable TV and the Internet, have an unprecedented trough into which we can immerse our porcine snouts.

It's no longer enough to have a nice car and a big house. Today we are prompted to pharmaceutically enhance our sex lives, to jump start our gastrointestinal systems, nip-tuck our receding hairlines and bulging buttocks.

Where once Monday Night Football was escape enough, now we steep in "reality" TV.

We dip our low-carb french fries in purple catsup.

The Streetcar Named Desire has become the Titanic ... and it's name is Legion.

We might wish this was isolated to (or concentrated among) non-Christians. After all, the Bible tells us quite clear in Luke 12:33-34: "Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

But many Christians have literally bought into gluttony with the rationalization that God has given them these possessions; that, in fact, they deserve their excesses because they are so faithful!

Witness the recent success of a small book called "The Prayer of Jabez." This book pulls from 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 an obscure story about a man named Jabez:

"Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, 'I gave birth to him in pain.' Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request."

Many Christians have embraced this as a Biblical authorization to throw themselves into materialistic quests. They pray daily that they become rich, famous, that they get promotions at work, marry well and any other worldly thing that comes to mind.

If there were a Biblical injunction to pray ANYTHING every day, would it not be the Lord's Prayer? And that one says, hmm, "Give us this day our daily bread," not our Hummer.

Desires and temptations are on the rampage. Where should we turn?

To the Bible, perhaps to James 1:14-15:

"But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is fullgrown, gives birth to death."

Instead, let us cleave to the words of a song by Reuben Morgan:

This is my desire: to honor You.
Lord with all my heart I worship You.
All I have within me, I give You praise.
All that I adore is in You.

Lord I give You my heart,
I give You my soul, I live for You alone.
Every breath that I take,
Every moment I'm awake,
Lord have Your way in me
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 2181 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
WENDY DECKER
01/24/05
Well-written article. Good take on the subject.
Donna J. Shepherd
01/24/05
Very good - and convicting - message. Thanks!
Dan Blankenship
01/24/05
Bravo...well-written, kept me interested and reading fast. I just love Christian writers!

Good show.

L.M. Lee
01/24/05
Whoa...I have to inhale and let out a slow breath...excellent piece!
Kathy Cartee
01/24/05
Excellent! my thoughts are the same. May we forever escape the name it and claim it club and remember always to seek first the Kingdom of God.
Maxx .
01/24/05
Well written. But perhaps the driver of the Hummer was on his way back from donating 10 million dollars to the Salvation Army, tithes monthly more than we make in a year, and donated his fleet of corporate jets for tsunami relief. Let's not be too quick to judge based on a vanity plate.
Karen Deikun
01/25/05
I loved some of the cute images "porcine snouts" was a hoot! These pieces of imagery made it so easy to read even though it was soooo convicting. You did a remarkable job on this topic. Thank you!
Dave Wagner
01/26/05
I appreciate what you attempted here. Can't say that I agree 100%, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

The Bible also says to learn to be content in whatever situation you find yourself in, whether lacking or abounding. I certainly don't drive a Hummer, but I wouldn't turn one down if I won it...true, we shouldn't set out to obtain material blessing, but you run the risk of burdening people unnecessarily when you make it seem that all material wealth is bad...

This line completely baffled me:

>> The Streetcar Named Desire has become the Titanic ... and it's name is Legion.<<

Nope, I just read it yet again, and I still don't get it...sorry.

I like that song at the end that you quoted, by the way.

Thanks for posting.
Phyllis Inniss 
01/26/05
Your article pinpoints an important message, that of being too materialistic. While I agree we should be content in any situation we find ourselves as the last reviewer said, I think there are some situations that we should pray to get out of. Thanks for sharing.
Karen O'Leary
01/27/05
The shift of three different styles in one short article was kind of unsettling for me. I really liked the opening section where you dealt with modern day problems. Then there was the bible verse section while infromative left me wanting more of you initial work. Ending with poetry is interesting. I'd like to see things tied together a little better. Best wishes with the piece.
Deborah Anderson
01/28/05
You made some great points in your story. Having material things isn't sinful, but the love of them that gets us into trouble. Thank you so much, and God bless you.