“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Matthew 20:33
Most of us have had the experience of sitting at a restaurant, looking at the menu and not knowing what to order. We know we are hungry, but we don’t know which item on the menu would best satisfy us. Typically, we either just order what we’ve ordered in the past, or we tell the server to come back in a few minutes while we make up our minds. We don’t know what we want.
That can happen to us spiritually as well. We may have a vague sense that we aren’t experiencing the life that we really want to have, but we struggle putting a finger on exactly what it is that we are needing. So learning to name our desire is critical if we want to experience more of the life God has for us.
That’s what the blind men in Matthew 20 did when Jesus asked them what they wanted Him to do for them. Without hesitation they told Him that they wanted to receive their sight. They named their desire. While it may seem obvious that they would ask for this, I contend that it’s only because we have read the rest of the story. They could very well have sensed that the large crowd that was following Jesus would be the perfect opportunity for a significant, benevolent offering. If the offering was large enough, they might not have to resume begging again for awhile. But that’s not what they asked. Instead they wanted something better. They wanted their sight, and they said so.
So what do you want? You may already have a clear sense of what that is. If so, celebrate it and allow that desire to lead you to the Lord who alone can fulfill it. But if you are struggling, let me suggest some things that might help you focus on what you truly desire.
- Something that would revolutionize your life
- Something that would cause a radical reorientation of your life to God
- Something that only God can give you
- Something that truly rises from the depth of your soul that when you say it, it almost leaves you breathless to think about it really happening
Notice how God-centered this is. For it is within our relationship with God that our deepest needs are met. So spend some time with this. You will know that you have arrived at your true desires as you pay attention to the inner dynamics of your soul. Your heart will be turned toward God, and you will do anything to have those desires met.
This one sentence….
“ For it is within our relationship with God that our deepest needs are met.”
So simple and yet so profound at the same time. I find it so interesting that human nature is to rely on ourselves first, when He meets the deepest needs of our soul. I think I need this plastered on my mirror so it is the first thing I see every morning, and the last thing each day. Such peace!
You are correct. We are so very prone to believing that we are able to meet all of our own needs outside of our relationship with God. But there is hope. When we finally grow weary of pursing that which doesn’t satisfy, there is the possibility that we might actually turn toward God.