What Do You Want?

“Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8 NLT)

What do you want to be when you grow up? Were you asked that when you were a child? When I was a kid, I wanted to be a cowboy, like Roy Rogers, a Firefighter, or a Police Officer. They seemed noble endeavors then, and still do in my mind, but unfortunately for me, the Lord didn’t open those doors of opportunity.

Today, my goal isn’t to have us reminisce about things we can’t change, rather I’d like for us to consider what we would like to become now that we’re maturing in our faith and, hopefully and ideally, we’re no longer babes in need of just “milk.”

There is a chorus I sang as a new believer that came to mind today and stirred my heart. It says: “To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus! My desire – to be like Him! All thru life’s journey from earth to glory, My desire – to be like Him.” That desire has never been stronger than it is today, but am I living that desire out in this season of my life? How about you? What do you want?

If you’d asked me 30-40 years ago, I’d likely have told you the same thing, but it would have meant something quite different than it does now. Then I wanted to be like the “Jesus” who drove a Shelby Mustang and was married to the “Babe of the universe.” It was all about me and what I wanted for me. I should let you know, though I never have owned a Shelby Mustang, I did, thanks to my son, get to drive one. But I did get my “babe of the universe” and I wouldn’t trade her for anyone.

Now, to get back on track, seriously, whatever season of life you’re now in, what do you want? Whatever it is, what’s it worth to you? Because if you want it badly enough it will cost you your soul! You will, consciously or otherwise, give your soul to gain what you really want. I used to envy the movie stars, sports figures, businessmen and women, and others who drove the fancy cars, dressed in the most expensive clothes, lived in mansions that covered acres, but now I see the shallowness of their smiles and the emptiness of their hearts.

Satan seeks to sell us a bill of goods on which he can’t deliver. He promises all the things the world can offer, but he never tells you what it’s going to cost you until you’re on your death bed, but by then your thoughts are only on “good things,” of which hell is not a part.

My heart’s desire in this season is to love, honor, and serve the King of kings and Lord of lords, but what does that look like? Of course, I attend a great church, I serve and give money and read my Bible. I write a blog and love my wife and family. My heart aches to see my kids, family, friends, and neighbors come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, but there’s more.

Today my heart aches, not only for those who have no knowledge of Jesus, but for those who profess a knowledge, but their heart is still empty. They jump through the proverbial religious “hoops,” but if you could open their mind and see into their heart, Jesus isn’t on the throne of their life.

What I most want now is to BE like Jesus, not simply know Him. I want to think His thoughts, walk in His shoes, love like He loves, sing like He sings, laugh like He laughs, let my heart break over the things that break His heart. In short, I want Him to live His life out through me as though I were dead and only He remained.

How about you? What do YOU want?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊