Moses was given the opportunity to get what he wanted.  He was told he could go into the “Promised Land”.  And, he could go right now.  He refused and forever forfeited his chance.  See, there was a catch.  God told him he could go but God would not go with him.  Moses, rightly, refused saying, “If You don’t go with us, we’re not going anywhere.”

Peter echoed this in the New Testament.  Many of Jesus’ disciples deserted Him on one occasion.  This prompted Him to ask His closest friends, “What about you, will you leave me also?”  Peter replied, “Where else can we go?”

I’ve often wondered at the twists and turns of life.  Why did this decision came at this time, this opportunity presented itself at that exact moment?  It was what I wanted, what I thought I needed, but could not take because of the timing.  I also sensed, rightly, that God was offering but would not be in it, would not go with me.

Does God tease us, tempt us with good?  Does He ask us to forfeit forever our dreams and desires?  Though I know He won’t tempt us to sin, I believe He does present us with options to force us to ask the questions of ourselves.  What is more important?  Who is most important?

So what if I choose to go without God?  What if I would say that I’m taking the opportunity to get what I want whether God comes or not?  I was given a picture of what that would look like.

Jar full of honey, sweet golden honey.  Inside, mixed with the golden goodness you could see feces, dead flies, undefinable floating matter.  Then I was told to drink up.  “No thank you!”  Getting what I want without God turns life to horrible, grotesque, vacuous nightmares.

But the deepest nightmares, if God is with me, become my dreams come true.  With Him, I receive, “exceedingly, abundantly beyond anything I can ask, or even imagine.”