On Being Satisfied

I have shamelessly stolen this title from a book that I am reading at the moment. This is the title of one of the chapters but the book itself is called "Cry Pain, Cry Hope" and it is by Elizabeth O'Connor of Church of The Saviour in Washington DC. The book is basically a blog. A journal of her thoughts and reflections on her journey with God.

In this chapter she quotes a story from Sufi literature:
"It is related in the traditions that Moses said..."Oh God, show me an action wherein if I did it thou wouldst be satisfied". God answered, "Thou canst not dothat, Oh Moses." Then Moses fell prostate worshipping God and supplicating him, and God made a revelation to him and said, "Oh Moses, my satisfaction with thee consists in thy being satfisfied with me."

Apologies for the thees and thous. I know that this isn't scripture, but it is an interesting thought when meditating on the whole question of grace. The idea that nothing we can do can make God love us more, or love us less, as Philip Yancy would put it.

Elizabeth O'Connor makes this comment:
"It speaks to me of being content with myself, which is easier because the story makes self-acceptance synonymous with acceptance of God. I had never thought before that being critical of myself was being critical of God who made me and even now pronouces me "satisfactory as is." If God is the creator it is not appropriate to rebel against one of his creations, even if that creation is myself. that would be expressing dissatisfaction with God. This does not mean relinquishing my goals for growth, but rejoicing in what is, while I reach for what can be. I can give praise for myself as faulted as I am, and then take the next step. In this response God is not only the One who goes before me, but is God with me. The journey then is important - not where I will be tomorrow and what I will do when I arrive at my destination."

Max Lucado's phrase is that "God loves us too much to leave as we are".

I find that I can be distracted from God's purposes in my life here and now if I focus on the ways in which i am not yet ready, or the things I don't know yet. That's just another way of procrastinating. We were considering this in House Group a couple of weeks ago when we looked at Haggai - putting God's priorities before our own. God's people had given up building the temple in favour of building their own houses. They wanted their own houses to be in order before they devoted their time and energy to God's work.
Let's face it, our "houses" will never be in order. What's more, as long as we make an idol of perfection in ourselves or in our belongings and resources, we cannot be fully reconciled to God and obedient to His word. I once read that the true measure of Christian maturity is the gap between instruction and obedience. Am I quicker to obey God than I was this time last year? This time 5 years ago? If not, is it because I have relinquished my "goals for growth", or is it because I have never set any such goals?

What about being "satisfied" with God? How do I know that I can truly say that He is enough, everything I need and more, when He has given me so much - I am rich in family, friendships and material things?