What Do You Want?

"Seekest thou great things for thyself?" Jeremiah 45:5

Are you seeking great things for yourself? Not seeking to be a great one, but seeking great things from God for yourself. God wants you in a closer relationship to Himself than receiving His gifts, He wants you to get to know Him. A great thing is accidental, it comes and goes. God never gives us anything accidental. There is nothing easier than getting into a right relationship with God except when it is not God Whom you want but only what He gives.

If you have only come the length of asking God for things, you have never come to the first strand of abandonment, you have become a Christian from a standpoint of your own. "I did ask God for the Holy Spirit, but He did not give me the rest and the peace I expected." Instantly God puts His finger on the reason--you are not seeking the Lord at all, you are seeking something for yourself. Jesus says--"Ask, and it shall be given you." Ask God for what you want, and you cannot ask if you are not asking for a right thing. When you draw near to God, you cease from asking for things. "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him." Then why ask? That you may get to know Him.

Are you seeking great things for yourself? "O Lord, baptize me with the Holy Ghost." If God does not, it is because you are not abandoned enough to Him, there is something you will not do. Are you prepared to ask yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? God always ignores the present perfection for the ultimate perfection. He is not concerned about making you blessed and happy just now; He is working out His ultimate perfection all the time--"that they may be one even as We are."

My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

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I read this devotional passage yesterday morning, and the Lord really convicted my heart. I don’t know about you all, but I know I’m guilty of wanting things from God, but not desiring HIM as I should.

I’ve been reading in Acts, as well as other books of the Bible, and I was reminded of Simon the sorcerer, who was enchanted, not with the GOD of gifts and miracles, but with the gifts and miracles that God could give. (See Acts 8:9-24) He sought to obtain the power of God, but not to know the God of power. Simon was willing to pay off the apostles to be able to do the great things he saw them doing through God’s power. This was Peter’s response: “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”

Basically what Peter is saying is this: God cannot be bribed! His gifts cannot be bought or bartered! This mindset reveals a heart that is not right with God. Certainly, God loves to give good things to His children, but we should never see Him merely as a “Santa Claus.” The Lord wants us to love Him for who He is, not what He can give us. Think about it in a personal light. If you were rich and could give out great treasures, would you want people to only be your friends for what you could give them? No! Of course not! You want people to love you for the person you are! This is how we need to be approaching the Lord. He desires for us to know Him intimately. When we truly know Him, then we can receive His good gifts. Lord, teach us to know and love YOU!