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What Do You Want?


So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided. (Genesis 22:14) 

            We want what we want when we want it. We don't want it immediately upon our understanding that we want it, we want it before we even have a chance to want it. Some have suggested that the existence, even for an instant, of wanting is evidence that God is unkind. How dare God make any of us less than 100% happy all the time? Here's the problem: what would make me happy would be for there never to be a sky without at least some clouds during the day, with temperatures that never go above 80 or below 20, but which would normally include both of those extremes, At night, the skies would be clear. That might not sound like a problem until I point out that I know people who consider it a personal insult if the temperature drops below 75 or if a cloud dares to cast a shadow into their perfect day. Would it be enough to have different areas of the world, or different worlds to meet this very different requirements? The problem then is that I am restricted from going "there" and enjoying my clouds and cool, while "you" are restricted from coming "here" and enjoying your warm sun. Changing everyone to like the same thing is an option, except then we aren't permitted to want what we want to want, only what we are permitted to want.
           The other unintended consequence of our being given what we want when we want it is that it makes us weak. We never learn how to want. We never learn how to want without that want controlling us. We never come to terms with the fact that we are not God (because we would be if God granted us everything we wanted before we even wanted it.) We never learn that God can and will provide our wants that we aren't permitted to feel, and therefore we never get to experience God's loving provision, only His servitude. The lesson  that Abraham and Isaac learned that day wasn't just that God can provide what they needed, but that He will provide it. They could not have learned it any other way than by desperately needing first.
              What do you truly need? What would you ask for if God gave you the opportunity to ask for anything?

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