What Does God Want?

I recently discovered bengal spice tea, and I’m obsessed. It’s like dessert in a cup—without eating dessert. It’s sweet and spicy simultaneously. (And it’s even caffeine-free!) One whiff is usually all it takes to convince anyone who comes into our apartment to try it. If that doesn’t do it, the passionate, excited light in my eyes will do the trick.

Even you want some now, don’t you?

It’s so good, I just want to share it.

God’s love is like that. The more we discover God’s love for us, the more we can’t help but love others. God’s love is contagious. The only natural response to encountering a love like God’s is to share it with those around us—and even those far away.

Sharing the gospel can sometimes sound like a scary chore we need to force ourselves through. But all that changes when we press into the heart of God. What does he think of you? What does he love? What is he passionate about?

Seriously, those are not rhetorical questions. What does God want?

According to today’s verses, the desire of God’s heart is for all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth.

All people. Saved.

Not, “God’s indifferent wish is for some people to be happy or blessed.” God’s love is all-encompassing. God yearns and longs for everyone to be completely rescued.

So here’s the question: Do you want that?

God’s heart is big. Is your heart that big?

I’m going to be honest, mine isn’t. But it’s growing towards that. How? By pressing into God’s love. The more I do, the more I can’t help but share it, the more I long for all people, from every nation, to be saved.

It’s something that every single one of us gets to be part of. Some of us will uproot our lives and travel to the other side of the world to share with the unreached. Others will faithfully speak the truth over dinner with their neighbors or while checking out at the grocery store. Many of us will be needed as senders, caring for those who are going out to speak the love of God in hard places, and praying for hard hearts to soften.

Today, think about it. Do you want what God wants? Who around you doesn’t know that he loves them? How will his love propel you to action today?

But before you do anything, I encourage you to pause and simply contemplate God’s love for you. Believe it when he calls you in the Bible his “treasured possession”, “honored”, and “precious.” And watch how that changes everything.

God, thank you for loving me so thoroughly. Would you open my heart and mind to comprehend more of your love and believe it to be true for me? Holy Spirit, will you show me the people around me that you are already at work in, and how I can be part of what you are doing?

Throughout the day: Really stop and consider, what does God want? Take the time to read these verses and write down what each verse says God’s desire is: 1 Timothy 2:4-6, John 3:16-17, Revelation 7:9-12, Revelation 21:22-22:5, and 2 Peter 3:9.