17 May “Savior of the World”, or Cosmic Genie?

It’s amazing what you can learn about your relationship with Jesus from a Disney movie. The genie in the 1992 film “Aladdin” complains that the only time he’s let out of his lamp is when someone wants something. He explains that for about a thousand years, it’s been the same thing over and over: “Poof, whadya need, poof, whadya need, poof, whadya need? Now, consider your prayer life. Is that what your prayers sound like to Jesus?

Are you treating Jesus as a cosmic genie? Do you expect him to be standing by with: “What do you need?” Jesus experienced this during His time on earth:

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. John 2:23-25 (NIV)

Jesus understood that people who may have felt they were sincerely following Him were doing so only for what they could get from Him. “…many people saw the signs He was performing and believed in His name.” Jesus knew that belief was entirely transactional: they weren’t loving Jesus for who He is, but for what he could do. Have you known people like that?

You consider them a friend, but you only seem to hear from them when they rub the lamp; that is, they need something from you. We want people to love us for who we are, not what we can do for them. Jesus wants the same thing! So, how did you answer the question above? Do you reach out to the Savior of the world because you love Him? Or does it feel to Jesus as though you’re rubbing a lamp?

Yes, Jesus wants us to ask for things; it shows that we understand that we are entirely dependent upon Him for everything. But we need to take care not to fall in love with the creation and ignore the Creator. If you have fallen into this trap, allow me to encourage you. Jesus doesn’t reject us because we take our eyes off Him. He’s waiting for you to put down the lamp and fix your gaze on Him. Love Him first and you won’t need to rub a lamp. He will provide you with everything you need!

Pastor Jerry Bader