What does God want from you?

God Wants You

In Matthew 19:28, Jesus explains that he is looking for people that will follow Him, and those who follow Him to the end will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. But God doesn’t want you to just believe in Him. He wants you to follow Him. 

In Matthew 19:16-22, Jesus tried to explain to a man, who we will call, Young Man, the difference.

Jesus’ & Young Man’s conversation went like this:

Young Man: Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?

Jesus: Why do you ask me what is good? There is only one good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.

Young Man: Which ones?

Jesus: You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Young Man: All these I have kept. What do I still lack?

Up until that point Young Man and Jesus had been discussing the universal principles of the Bible. Meaning, Jesus had basically made a list of Biblical principles, with no discussion about how that list may apply to that Young Man. But, to follow God, or as Jesus said it in verse 21, “if you would be perfect”, you will need to ask Him yourself, “what do I lack?”

 He is waiting for the moment that you will finally stop studying and examining a list of rules to follow, and start following Him. And, following Him begins with you simply asking Him,

“What do I lack?”

In Matthew, the Young Man went away sorrowful.

Not because the Young Man couldn’t go and sell all that he possessed and give it to the poor, in exchange for treasures in heaven, it’s because he wouldn’t give up his possessions “for he had great possessions.”

God doesn’t want your knowledge of the scriptures, your talents, your money, fame, or name. Rather, he wants to know that you are willing to lay it all on the line, even when the arrows start whizzing by your head or when it's you being thrown into the lion’s den.

Committing to that level of personal sacrifice, begins with you acknowledging what He really wants from you.

What he really wants from you, is to know that no matter what he asks you to place on the alter, your answer will always be - I’m all in.

That conversation begins with you asking Him, What do I lack?

Just know that whatever He asks you to give up, He will reimburse you.

In verse 27-29, Peter asked, what about us that left everything to follow you and Jesus said, “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life”.

Matthew 19:16-30 ESV

God Wants You!