What Do You Want?

Take a moment and think of how many ‘wants’ were on people’s minds just this morning. Many woke up wanting a job, while many others woke up wishing they didn’t have to go to work. Some woke up lonely, wanting a special someone in their lives. Others wondering how to fake their own deaths to get out of a bad relationship. And while some woke up wanting a change of pace, others woke up terrified at how fast things were changing, just wanting it to stop. The idea of “want” or desire is very intriguing to me. I think it’s the purest expression of our individual “free will”.

As “proper” Christians, we know that it’s wrong to see God as a genie in a bottle, (even though many still act that way). However, there are times when God proves us by submitting Himself to an open request.

Here’s The Word:


2 Chronicles 1:7 In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.”

Mark 10: 35 -36 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

Mark 10:51 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.(the blind man, Bartimaeus)

These 3 requests show God in all His power asking what these people wanted, and I believe that He (within reason of course) was ready and willing to “grant” them their desires which is made evident by His response to them when He received their requests.

In Chronicles, Solomon didn’t ask for riches, which he didn’t have yet – He asked for wisdom to lead God’s people right. Look at God’s response - 2 Chronicles 1:11-12 “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

In contrast, in Mark; James and John asked what they wanted – They wanted prestigious position.
Look at our Lord’s response –Mark 10 38-40 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

And lastly, we see Bartimaeus who of course, was blind. He like many others wanted to be healed from their physical predicaments; withered hand, blindness, leprosy, etc. I believe that each of these people could’ve either picked the Solomon route or the James and John route. It just depends on your own personal focus. In Psalm 23, David’s prayer to God acknowledges God as the divine Shepherd Who knows how to provide good for His sheep – even to the degree that we should never be concerned about our provision. I bring that up because some people think it’s wrong to desire and hopefully by seeing these examples in Scripture, they can come away with a better understanding. Paul says that he LEARNED to be content in any circumstance, that’s the road most of us are on.

A word of caution: We live in a world where Satan is called "The prince of the power of the air" and he does wield powers and abilities that draw us away from God with temptations of things we "want". He believes that we're no more than one thing waiting on the next, while being totally unpropitious to discomfort......but God delivers and strengthens those whose hearts are toward Him. Check yourself.

The take away is this: How deeply do you think about your desires? Are they more closely tied to relief of your current situation? More concerned with your future glory? Or are you mindful to see yourself as God’s and the most important thing you can ask of Him is that you’d be worthy to accomplish what He asks of you. One of my favorite requests someone ever asked of God was the Father of a possessed boy in Mark 9. Jesus says 9:23(b) - 24“All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

We often look at our lives through the lenses of desires and choices and we don’t really factor in God the way we should. Why? Sometimes because we don’t believe that He’s that kind of God and sometimes because we just don’t know what kind of God He is at all. I pray that we get to know our God and what it means for us to truly have a will and desire to be shaped into His using. Where every want is properly aligned with Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.


In Him,
Cros