Aspen requested a fast food kids meal for dinner tonight.  I pulled up to the box to order.  We are raising Aspen as a vegetarian so I asked for a cheeseburger meal with no hamburger.  The voice came back over the speaker, “What do you mean, no hamburger patty?”  I remained polite and plainly stated that I had ordered a cheeseburger and would like it without the hamburger.  Once again the voice crackled through the speaker, “What do you mean, no hamburger patty?”  By now it was taking a real effort to remain polite, but I managed again to repeat myself, “I would like a cheeseburger with no hamburger.”  I wasn’t sure how much more plain and simple I could make myself.  Crackle, crackle, “You mean you want no meat?”  By now sarcasm bounced around my brain waiting to escape and words I wouldn’t actually say mumbled around inside my head.  But, I forced myself to politely say, “Yes, that’s what I want.  A cheeseburger with no meat.” 

I can  just see God wondering how much more plain He can make what He tells me to do.  Take for example:  Thou shalt not lie, or Thou shalt not have any other gods before me.  But, instead of hearing, “Thou shalt not lie”,  I seem to hear, “Thou shouldn’t lie, but in some instances it’s okay and I’ve listed those 27 exceptions right here to the side.”  Or instead of hearing, “Thou shalt have no other god’s before Me.”  I hear, “You can love Me when it’s convenient.  I know there will be times when other things are more important than I am.  Actually if you just think about Me at Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving, that’s all I ask.”

When I pull up to the fast food order box I know what I want and I ask for it.  Take for example, tonight after pulling through the fast food hamburger establishment for Aspens dinner, I drove across the street to the taco express.  Brett wanted two bean burritos, no onions with extra cheese.  He would not be happy if he got onions on his burritos because he doesn’t like the way onions taste. 

So when God asks us to do something, it is for a good reason.  He wants what is best for us.  He loves us.  When we are happy, He is happy.  God tells us to put Him first because we will be happier when we do.  He tells us not to lie because our lives will be more peaceful and happy when we tell the truth and when we live the kind of life that we can be truthful about.