G-S is for God's Shaping

God's treatment for our malady comes to a final stage. These new hearts take commandments instead of giving them. That is, consumeristic demands of God give way to studying God's commandments in order to obey them. Rather than trying to shape God to our will, we work at shaping ourselves to His will. The results are mixed, of course. For while we recognize the goodness of God's law (Paul: "I serve the law of God with my mind"), our flesh still wants to play consumerism against God. So we discipline ourselves, even lately lentenly with prayer and fasting, so we can do what pleases the God we "fear and love."

Consumerism is OK for buying. But if it goes to our head, it is a hopeless approach to God. Happily, God approaches us in Jesus Christ and this grace turns us into a different kind of consumer, consumers of Jesus' flesh and blood, with which we receive forgiveness and sanctification completely free. Talk about giving away the store!

tbcm