"He Is Not A Genie"

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee..."  Jeremiah 33:3

 

I grew up watching cartoons.  These cartoons were fairy tales, fables, folklore and mythology.  Children now days are growing up on many of the same ones my generation did.  Among them were the stories of genies.  Genies in bottles or oil lamps.  We all remember that if you rubbed the lamp a genie would appear and grant you three wishes.  You had better chose your wishes wisely because three was all you got. 

Of course we all know genies aren't real.  They are folklore and fables.  But I can't help but wonder if our "knowledge" of them hasn't influenced the way we perceive God.  (Please note that I am not comparing the Lord God to a false, non-existent fable/genie.  I am trying to make sure that our outside influences don't affect the way we perceive the Lord.) 

Many see the Lord as a magic person who is there to grant their wishes (like a genie).  He is not.  He is not magical.  He is not mystical.  He is very real.  He is not a fable.  He is God.  There is no one else like Him, above Him, or besides Him.  He doesn't grant wishes.  He answers prayer.  He bestows blessings upon us.  He makes and keeps promises.  There is no comparison of Him with anyone, or anything else.

Sadly, many perceive God in the same way we viewed genies when we were growing up-  granting only three wishes.  They think God limits His goodness and only answers a few prayers.  I want to clarify this morning, that the Lord God does not limit how many prayers we can pray, how many requests we make or how often we petition Him.   Some think, when it comes to the Lord, that they can ask Him too many requests and "use up" all their prayers.  There is no limit.  Ask and ask and ask again.  He doesn't limit how many times we ask, or how much we ask. 

Some also think, that God limits His forgiveness-- three strikes and you are out!  He doesn't limit His grace.  His mercy is limitless.  He is the God of first, second and third, forth and fifth and a thousand chances.  We can go to Him asking for grace, mercy and forgiveness and another chance as often as we need to.  He will not turn us away but grant us the grace we need. 

Don't compare God to anything else.  Don't compare Him to the false cartoons you grew up watching.  He is God.  He is not a genie granting a limited amount of wishes.      

Have a great day.  God is God.  Not some fable that is limited in His goodness.