Melissa Kruger
By Suzanne O'Keeffe, 700 Club Interactive
CBN.com –A BOOK WRITTEN
It was in the middle of an international move to Cambridge, England with her husband and children, when Melissa responded to the prompting of God to write a book. She had spent years studying the Bible, praying on a daily basis, and journaling her thoughts and prayers. Now she would draw on what she had learned over the years for the benefit of others. On the outside it appeared she was "living the traditional American Dream." The truth was there were just as many emotional hurts, struggles with sin, challenges in relationships, and disappointments in her as in the next person. She also came to the realization that all the wonderful things she had obtained that represented the "perfect" life, brought no real sense of contentment. As she began to look around and talk with other women it became apparent that many were having the same existence. Even women who were wealthy, educated, and seemingly happy had deep in their heart an unfulfilled longing. There are no age boundaries, no career categories; just women in who Melissa recognized the result of longing for something else in their heart. The cries of "why me" or why not me had caused them to begin to observe others with the thought, "Has God forgotten about me?" Looking at others brought thoughts that maybe life really is "greener on the other side." Melissa writes this error of thinking allows a seed of unbelief to take root, then covetousness springs up and, the result is idolatry.
COVETOUS BEHAVIOR AND GOD'S PATTERN OF CHANGE
Tackling the subject of covetousness and idolatry, Melissa first defines "the sin of coveting" and why we covet. She focuses on Biblical examples and then outlining how to develop a new behavior by focusing on Christ. Her purpose is not only to expose the poisonous effects that sin has in us, but to awaken us to the warnings and deep desire from God. We must see our need for Christ while we guard our heart from the way of the world. In the first part of the book she explains that to desire something is not to covet. Desire becomes coveting when "an inordinate or culpable desire to possess, often that which belongs to another." Chamad is the Hebrew word for desire, and is used in two ways. One is positive by taking delight but, mostly the description is in a selfish and idolatrous way driven by envy and jealousy. The driving force of envy is not what they other person has, it is not the circumstances, but it is the condition of the heart.
Covetousness represents an unbelief that God is more than able to watch over and take care of our lives. It leaves us unable to know our purpose and fulfillment in life. Melissa cites Eve in the garden, Achan with his hidden bounty as examples of the pattern of behavior that leads to sin. Both saw what they wanted, their sight became distorted and unbelief crept in so they felt liberty to take what they wanted and then hid. The pattern not only takes from the people, but robs God of a relationship with us and us with Him. There is good news, when we are aware of our sinful pattern then we can be open to the power of Christ to break the behavior.
It cannot be accomplished simply by our self-will but only when a hunger is cultivated for Christ. His power in us will enable us to develop the new thought pattern, change our unbelief into trust and help us search for the Lord and His desires. We will be open-handed individuals, giving graciously and freely to others. We can start by asking God what He desires of us as we live out the circumstances that He has designed for that day. Noting the gifts of the Spirit, Melissa challenges the reader that each one is readily available for every day and every moment of our lives if we will "abide in Jesus and walk by His Spirit.
TO LONG BUT NOT COVET
Desires and longing in itself are not wrong. In the fourth chapter Melissa writes that we are supposed to long for the Lord, long to understand the Word of God, and live it. The last five chapters list and discuss areas we covet:
* Coveting Money and Possessions
* Coveting Within Romantic Relationships
* Coveting Within Family and Friendship
* Coveting Seasons and Circumstances
* Coveting Giftedness and Abilities
Romantic relationships, we are made for such things. God is the creator of romance but far too often we allow ourselves to observe what others have, and we feel lack in our own relationships. The deliberation on lack creates a thought of jealousy, envy, and dissatisfaction that leads to the never ending "what if" thoughts. Melissa identifies a time when she was in church and observed a young couple with a newborn sitting in front of her. As she watched from behind she observed the husband put his arm around his wife in a very loving way. Somehow, doubts crept in to her mind and the questions began. "Did my husband love me the way her husband loved her? Why didn't my husband put his arm around me in church?" and, before she knew it her heart was discouraged. Melissa writes that things are not always as they seem and what we think we are seeing can cause discontentment.
In chapter eight, discussing seasons and circumstances, she covers a common pattern by today's standard, "Why do I love watching TV more than reading my Bible? Why does sharing the gospel with someone make me feel so uncomfortable?" Sometimes Christians have seasons where there is a lack of obedience, lack of peace while defeat, depression and spiritual drought are apparent. They largely indicate that the chase has been after "the pleasures of the world" while our attitude toward our walk with God is nice, but more a side bar than main course. If we are willing to submit to His power, and be "transformed into His likeness then justification and sanctification result in belief, and Melissa says that belief is the key that will open the power of the Truth in our lives. Disobedience on the other hand is the indicator that we do not trust or have faith in God. If we would confess our sin openly and freely before the Lord and not hide it we don't have to fear because as Melissa explains, "...we have the promise of John that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
In closing her book, Melissa says everyone tries to imagine what is best for their life. Sometimes a lifetime can be spent thinking about the desire and forgetting to live, as if the thinking will make it a reality. The vision given to us by Christ is found in the book of Revelation through John as he saw the river of life flowing from God's throne. It is there we find the tree of life with its twelve crops of fruit leaves of the tree with healing, and the removal of any curse. That's the vision we should rest our desires in and "cry out with John, 'Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.'"