Wants and Needs

by Pastor Steph

"As the deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living Lord."
Psalm 42

Have you ever wanted something so much, that it’s all you could think about? Wanting it consumed every part of your life, but then once you had it, you didn’t really want it anymore? Is chasing after the it more satisfying than actually having it?

One of our daughters really wanted a guinea pig. It was all she could talk about. She researched guinea pigs. She wrote us letters, drew pictures and made videos about getting a guinea pig. She did extra chores to earn money for the cage and the food. Everything she said and did was motivated by her desire to have a guinea pig. Every single day we would get “fun facts” in our ear about guinea pigs. I would wager a bet that she now knows more about guinea pigs than a pet store manager.

As of today, we’ve lived two weeks with our guinea pig and the interest in having one has more than waned. “I didn’t know it would be this much work, mom,” has been the new fun fact echoing in my ear. Daily cage cleaning hasn’t exactly been what she thought it would be. Chasing the dream of getting a pet guinea pig was more satisfying than actually having the pig. Having the guinea pig meant something altogether different than wanting one. Once she had it, she didn’t really want it anymore.

I’ve wondered, what is that about? What is it in our human nature that wants what we don’t have and then once we have it we quickly lose interest. Adam and Eve desired the forbidden fruit and Israel demanded a King and yet eating the apple and worshiping the Kings wasn’t really what they wanted because finally it wasn’t what they really needed.

They needed, as do we, to be consumed by the one who chases after us; the one who alone can satisfy. Fun fact: We chase after it. God chases after you. The difference is stark. God knew the work of the cross and yet still wanted you. God never tires of forgiving you or loving you.

The psalmist writes, “As the deer pants for the water so my soul longs for you.” I want to long for the Lord for only the Lord can satisfy a thirsty soul and so may this day, the all consuming love of God give you what you need, not what you think you want.

-- Pastor Steph