Have you ever wondered just what it is that God wants from us?  After all, He is all-powerful and all-knowing.  What could we have to offer Him?  It turns out, it’s the one thing we have the power to withhold or give freely.

The number one thing God wants is you, your heart, that you love Him. It is so strong in Him that He doesn’t want you to do anything apart from Him. Whatever you do, He wants to be a part of it. (excerpt from Faith Blockers pt.2, by Dr. Chester C. Pipkin)

That’s a pretty big deal.  It is completely up to us whether we give God our hearts, letting Him in and making Him a part of every aspect of our lives.  And while He doesn’t make us do it, it’s not only His great desire for us, but it’s also the very thing that allows His life to flow into us

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5 ESV)

What a picture that paints!  Jesus, the Vine, wants nothing more than for us to stay connected to Him at all times.  Try to imagine the branch jumping off and living some of its life separate from the rest of the plant… It doesn’t really work, does it?  Whether we realize it or not, it doesn’t work for us, either.  So let’s make sure that we’re including God in every part of our lives, throughout our days, in all our thoughts, and in all we do.  Doing this as our act of love and devotion to Him will not only please Him and give Him what He wants from us, but it turns out, what He wants is really what we want, too!