We humans have a tendency to make religion very complicated. Even the relatively recent attempts to differentiate religion and spirituality can leave one confused, frustrated, or wandering.
But God hasn’t made it difficult: we have. We read of countless times when human beings, even God’s friends, tried to add rules and regulations to what God was trying to communicate. And God always had to come along and remind them of what He was really after.
When Jesus came on the scene He made things even clearer. (Aren’t you glad?!)
So here’s the short list of what God is looking for from you:
- Your listening. Like it or not, He is smarter than you. And that’s actually a very good thing! He is waiting to provide you with His wisdom (James 1:5). But more than that, He is looking for you to listen with not just your ears, but with your actions also. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)
- Your allegiance. God’s enemy declared war against Him long before you and I came on the scene. And whether or not we want to, each one of us much choose sides in this war. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
- Your trust. Is God worthy of your trust? Does He mean what He says? Will He do what He says He will do? Can you live your life based on what He says? That’s what faith is all about, and it’s what truly pleases God. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
- Your worship. In our modern world we call our idols by almost any other name: entertainment, popularity, convenience, material things, other’s opinion, or a host of other possibilities. God expects to come first, and He deserves it. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'” (Mathew 4:10)
- Your transformation. God loves you unreservedly just the way you are. But He also loves you too much to let you remain in your broken down, sinful condition. He asks you to let Him transform you from the inside out: “that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.” (Ephesians 5:26)
- Your love. Not a “peck-on-the-cheek” kind of love, but an intense, loyal, intimate, passionate kind of love. A love that causes you to leave all lesser lovers and devote your life to following wherever He leads, and then pass that love along. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)
What God is looking for from you is both as simple and as all-encompassing as that.
It’s not complicated: He wants everything.
Does God have your listening (obedience), allegiance, trust, worship, and love today?
Your Turn: Can you think of any other elements God is looking for that are not included in this list? Leave a comment below.
Tweetables: why not share this post?
- What God wants from you is not complicated. Here’s a very short list. Tweet that.
Do you want to live FULLY ALIVE?
There are simple steps you can take EVERY DAY that will propel you forward in experiencing the kind of life you want, and that God wants for you physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.
Get your FREE Resource Guide now: 7 Keys to Living Fully Alive – from the Inside Out.
