I Chronicles 17:6
“In all places where I have walked with all Israel, have I spoken a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherdMy people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’
God doesn’t want things. He was ok with dwelling in the tent He told them to build. There is much about God that we don’t understand. That is the unregenerate man. If we are in Christ, we have the mind of Christ. I think of the cravings we had as children. The gifts we would get at Christmas. It was strong.
I’ve heard it said that hunters would catch a monkey by laying out a jar with goodies inside. He would put his hand inside and have a large hand full that he couldn’t take it out, due to the smaller opening. His cravings led him to getting caught. So can our desires ensnare us.
Proverbs 14:14 says, “The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above.” The errant christian can fall into want. If we get our eyes off the Lord our contentment dries up and we get filled with many desires. That’s a good test of our love for the Lord. Are our hearts filled with all sorts of cravings?
And then there’s God. His heart is right. His heart doesn’t go after things. We see Jesus born of poor parents in a manger and being raised in a questionable area. Nor does He want power. Quite a contrast to the rich and powerful.
Does God desire anything? Yes. He desires our allegiance. The first commandment is “I am the Lord, thy God, you will have no gods before me.” The second is similar about having no idols.
When we come to Christ, our motives are varied. It’s rarely because we want to love God. We needed help, we needed salvation and deliverance. He takes that. Psalm 103:14 says, “For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”
He gives us a new heart; one that wants Him and the things He wants (Ezekiel 36:26). We are regenerated and changed at our core.
Our flesh is still with us and gets us off track. He brings us back. He gives us His Spirit that helps us. He gives us His Word to help. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
He fixes us up. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for goodworks, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” We are His hobby. To make us more like Him. The things we used to desire, don’t mean much any more.
We still have our interests, but they are good and balanced. God uses those to reach out to others that have similar interests.
Lord, thank You for redeeming us. We were on a bad path. You rescued us and cleaned us up. You adopted us. We now want good things. Thank You, Lord.