I Don't Dream of Genie

One of my favorite shows growing up, watching as a re-run is, "I Dream of Jeanie". Watching this show as an adult, I find the antics Jeanie gets her "master" into as ridiculously avoidable. Jeanie sometimes blinks wishes her master doesn't even speak. She usually does something so the outcome is for her benefit, as she is a jealous genie. When her master asks for a wish to be granted, she also seems to have a hard time in giving him as successful wish - again with a benefit to herself.

So why do we treat God like a genie? During a sermon last year, my Pastor stated, "A wish is a hope without hope." That got me to thinking...a hope without hope. That's pretty sad when you think about it, that means whatever you are "wishing for" there is no hope in your wish ever becoming a reality. Why? Because you are hoping this wish will materialize out of thin air. Could God make that happen? Absolutely. But He usually doesn't because there is purpose in every bit of His plan.

God knows the desire of your heart and of mine. He knows what we "wish" for and what we hope for. The Bible tells us we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139), also telling us He knows what we think, where we are and where we have been. There is nothing our Father doesnt know about us, nothing is hidden from Him or what we "wish" for. God is not our genie, He doesn't cross His arms and blink to give us what we want. How many times do we think what we want, is what we should get. We pray about it but God says no, or maybe He doesn't answer. I am absolutely guilty of wanting God to be my genie and just do what I want Him to do, you know, because I know what I should get. Oh, how many wishes or prayers that weren't answered.

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What would my life be like if I got all I wished for? What about every prayer I wanted an answer to? I don't know and I don't think I want to know. My life is absolutely blessed because I have left the wishing to my childhood and have the hope of Christ within me. Does that mean everything in my life is great? NOPE. I deal with anxiety, fear, and worry. I have lost family and friends to this pandemic. I have even sometimes doubted what God is doing with our crazy world. But I haven't lost hope, because I know what a hopeless life looks like and have lived the life of wishing. I know I have a God and not a genie that only cares for His own agenda. God wants us to live a life totally dependent on Him, to trust Him - EVEN IF. I have had those moments of "even if" and I know that it is definitely worth the trust in Him.

My husband and daughter on a trip in 2019, Maine.

If I had gotten my wishes answered, I wouldn't be married to a man who loves me even though I can be unlovable. I wouldn't have a wonderful daughter. I wouldn't know what it's like to travel or to have a beautiful home. These were things I never wished for nor did I hope for them. So as I finish this up I ask - what is your wish? Instead of wishing, have you prayed about it and left it at the foot of His Throne? Are you angry that He hasn't answered a prayer as you thought He should have? Ask. Seek. Knock. (Matthew 7:7) Ask - with right motive. Seek - His will and heart. Knock - and allow Him to open the door that is best for you. It would be more abundant than any wish you could make.