I recently had a conversation with some friends about the
idea of what God
wants for our lives and what is it that God requires of me?  Had you asked
me this questions a few weeks ago I would have told you that I need to
listen to God, and to follow God’s path for my life.  I’ve always felt
that
my duty is to willingly follow God, to never question, but simply allow God
to lead me wherever he has planned.  I thought God would want me to
sacrifice any and everything for His plan for my life.

You might be thinking that there is nothing wrong with what I’m describing
above, and certainly a life lived in service and devotion to God is not a
bad way to live your life.  But that’s not God’s longing for our life:

“I don’t want your sacrifices–I
want your love! I don’t want your
offerings–I want you to know Me!” Hosea 6:6

Above all, God wants our heart, God wants to be in relationship with us.
God is not a puppeteer pulling the strings of our life–God loves us so much
more than that.   We were created to have freedom, to have wants and
desires
and hopes and dreams.  And all God wants is a relationship with us; a
relationship where we share all of this with God, where we share our heart
with God.

Over the years, we’ve complicated prayer so much.  People are left with the idea that they must
say big extravagant prayers filled with words that are at least four syllables
long, prayer has turned into a performance and what’s worst—this has caused
people to be afraid to pray, afraid that they won’t “perform” adequately.  

But God doesn’t want a performance, God doesn’t want to see
how impressive your vocabulary is, God wants to know your heart.  All our prayers need to be is open honest
talking with God.  Let God know what you
want, what you need, and what you’re thankful for.  God wants to craft your future together not just drag you along.  

I pray that we can all learn how to embrace our relationship with God.
 That
we can all share our hearts with God, and that we can rejoice– because
there is a God that wants nothing more than to know your deepest desires, to
know us, and to craft a future with us, based on what’s in our hearts.

Lord, help us to lift your hearts to you.  Amen.