What Do You Want?
God invites us beyond the blessings to know the Giver Himself, the true Bread of Life.
Devotional Credit: My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reflection from My Utmost for His Highest calls us to examine what we are truly seeking in our walk with God. Oswald Chambers presses past surface-level Christianity, challenging us to recognize when our prayers and pursuits are centered more on receiving gifts from God than on knowing God Himself.
He warns that even seemingly noble desires—like asking for peace or the Holy Spirit—can be rooted in a heart that is seeking its own satisfaction rather than God's own heart. Chambers reminds us that the purpose of asking is not to receive things, but to draw near to the Giver Himself.
God's ultimate aim is not to merely bless us temporarily, but to conform us into the perfect unity Christ prayed for — to make us one with Him as He is one with the Father. Instead of settling for blessings, we are called to full abandonment: a life where our greatest desire is not for what God can give, but for God Himself.
Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You have been brought near not to seek the gifts but to know the Giver. I have called you by name, and you are Mine. Delight yourself in Me, and I will give you the desires of your heart, for your heart will be shaped by My presence.
Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you. Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; but seek first My kingdom and My righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
My child, I know what you need even before you ask. I am not withholding blessings; I am drawing you deeper into My heart, that you may desire Me above all else. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Let your soul thirst not for temporary peace or fleeting gifts, but for the Living Water that I am. Abide in Me, and My life will abide in you. My joy will become your joy, and your prayers will turn from asking for blessings to resting in our oneness.
(Scripture references: Isaiah 43:1; Psalm 37:4; James 4:8; Matthew 7:7; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 6:8; Matthew 5:6; John 15:4-11)
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine stepping into a bakery filled with the rich, warm scent of fresh bread. You came in hoping to buy a single loaf to satisfy your hunger. But the baker, smiling, invites you behind the counter—not just to taste one loaf, but to learn how bread is made, to share in the joy of the craft, to experience the warmth of the oven and the wonder of the process. Suddenly, you realize you no longer simply want the bread—you want the friendship of the baker, the fellowship of being part of something deeper and more lasting than a single meal. So it is with God: He invites us not just to taste His blessings, but to know Him, the true Bread of Life.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that You have not called me into a life of bargaining for blessings but into the unspeakable joy of knowing You. I rejoice that You are not a distant Giver but the ever-present Life within me. I trust that every longing of my heart finds its true satisfaction in You. Today, I rest in the assurance that You are my portion, my prize, and my peace. I lay aside every lesser desire, knowing that in drawing near to You, I already have every good thing.