What Do You Want?

Jesus asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi, where do you live?" Jesus replied, "Come and see!" John 1.38,39.

When people come to the altar for prayer they are often asked, “What do you want us to pray for?” They come up with all kinds of needs – physical healing, financial breakthroughs, relationship problems, exam blues, employment, retrenchment, family relationships, marriage struggles and a host of others! These are the needs of the people today, whether you are a Christian or not.

All these are genuine and valid reasons to come to Jesus and pray for or be prayed for. But you should not limit your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ to such mundane things only! You need to realise that all these needs for which you come to Jesus are secondary to the great purpose for which He came to earth and for which He has called you.

Jesus came to seek and save the people of this world lost in sin. Jesus came to call us to follow Him and become His disciples. He called you that you may become like Him – a fisher of men! It is true Jesus had compassion for the needy and suffering people. But the miracles He performed to meet their needs was to make them believe that He was the Son of God. He proved to them that He had the power to heal and therefore the authority to forgive their sins.

Why are you following Jesus today? Why do you come to Him? What Jesus asked the two disciples who followed Him that day on that Galilean Road, He asks you today! "What do you want?" What will your answer be? The disciples answered, "Rabbi, where do you live?" Do you get the point? They wanted to be where Jesus was! They wanted to get to know Him intimately.

Jesus’ reply to them was interesting, "Come and see!" Today, it is common for us to ask each other, often casually, “By the way, where do you live?” But we do not even care to listen to what they say! Neither do they expect us to visit them! Unlike us, the disciples were serious in their question just as much as the Lord was in answering them. So they followed Jesus to where He lived. They stayed the day with Him. They decided to live with Him for the rest of their lives!

Dear friend, you could come to Jesus and get your wish, whatever it is – healing, wealth, prosperity and success! Many are coming to Him for these. But His desire and purpose is that you come to Him and never leave! He wants you to spend your time with Him and never leave Him! Live with Him your whole life, moment by moment. And when our walk with Christ on earth is done, be translated into His presence, like Enoch and Elijah of Old! What a prospect for you and I!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, You have called me to live with You, day by day, moment by moment. You will help me though life and meet all my needs and at last take me home to be with You. Amen.