I can remember being a kid and walking into a variety of places and seeing a vending machine. You would walk up to the machine and see all the amazing options available to you. Most of the time there were chips, candy bars, candy, and maybe even some gum or a roll of mint lifesavers. Each item would have a predetermined amount of money listed underneath it and you would dig through your pockets to make sure you had enough to purchase that product. Most items would typically be sold for under one dollar so you would start inserting coins into the machine and then make your selection. You wanted to check and make sure you entered the right letter and number because nothing was worse than accidentally selecting the wrong thing. Slowly, the machine would turn and you would watch as your item made its way off the shelf and hopefully dropped successfully down to the bottom.
There were always those unfortunate times when the candy didn’t hit the bottom. Maybe the coil didn’t move far enough and the candy was caught up in the top. Maybe it started to fall and then got wedged between the glass and some other item. Whatever happened, you had a few choices. You could insert more money and hope the coil would then spit out two products for you or you could try and “nudge,” sometimes with much force, the machine to make it fall. It was super frustrating because you had done your part and successfully inserted the predetermined amount, only to be left short.
Sometimes we take this same mentality into our spiritual life with God. We have put in all these “coins,” otherwise known as good works and obedience, into the machine and so we should be rewarded with blessings. If we are living out our Christian faith and practicing things like bible reading, prayer, giving, etc., then we expect goodness in return. But God doesn’t work on a vending machine basis. This world is full of sin and heartache and trouble and so our life will not be free from those things.
In Luke, we see two devout believers named Zechariah and Elizabeth.
“Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.” Luke 1:6-7
These two people were righteous in God’s eyes. It actually states in Scripture that they were following all the commandments and regulations. They were doing all the good things. They were inserting their coins into the vending machine. But yet, they still had no children. I am sure that they questioned God, as lack of childbearing was a major disgrace during that time period. Why would God not allow these people to have their heart’s desire?
If you know the story, you know that eventually Elizabeth did become pregnant and gave birth to John the Baptist. But it was definitely not on Zechariah’s or Elizabeth’s time table. These two people lived out their faith and served the Lord closely, but their prayer was not answered and their blessing was not given when they wanted it. God is not a vending machine. We do not get to put good things in and always assume that we will get what we want from it. God has vast knowledge of what we need and when we need it. He will give us what we need each day as we wrestle with a fallen world. Does this mean that we should stop doing these good things and growing in our relationship with Christ? Absolutely not. Our life should be lived to develop a relationship, not a transaction. When we do these things and follow Christ, we are setting ourselves up to draw closer to Him, to become more like Him, and to fall more in love with Him. However, we also have to trust that He sees the big picture, He knows the timeline and He will give us exactly what we need, when we need it.
This devotional was written by Amy Carrico of Making the Moments Matter. Click HERE to follow her on Facebook!
Last Updated on April 21, 2025
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