I Want to Know You More, God!

TRUTH TALK Insight: Psalm 73:25

Needing vs. Wanting — More Than Our Possessions?

The psalmist, Asaph, said,

“Who have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you”

(Psalm 73:25 NIV).

Asaph desired nothing on earth more than God. Wow. That’s a desire worth emulating.

Speaking of desires (or wants), I’ve been slowly purging my home of unnecessary items—old, broken, or useless things, or things I know my children will not want someday. I recently thought back to when I purchased most of those items. They were once new and trendy. Most things were an integral part of building a home and family. But many items simply reflected passing wants more than needs.

I wondered in that moment, Would I buy THIS again?

I wondered whether, with the maturity of age, I’d still find some emotion ruling over my reason, causing:

• • an impulse purchase, especially when it’s a “good deal;”

• • an impress-someone, “keep up with the Joneses” purchase; or

• • a purchase rising out of advertising-produced feelings of deprivation?

I once read that we spend more than half of our lives accumulating things, and then spend our last years purging them from our homes. I never planned to be like that. But here I am, filling boxes with items for charity or adding them to our trash cans. What went wrong?

I think I’m like most people. We’re always clamoring for more, and we get so attached to things once we have them. That’s true in third-world as well as first-world countries. It’s part of human nature.

There’s nothing innately wrong with having things unless they begin to rule our lives. We can make idols of the simplest things.

For many years I felt I “had to” buy more Cherished Teddies figurines. I didn’t want to miss out on the newest editions. Now they are just more stuff that nobody wants. There’s a glut of them online.

Other things, I kept because of memories linked to them. It’s only recently that I’ve fully realized the memories are still there even when the items no longer fill my shelves and closets.

I cannot speak for everyone; but a root issue of discontent drove most of my purchases.

Need vs Want, Spiritually Speaking

In my devotional one day, I read the words by Asaph in Psalm 73:25.

In The Message, it reads like this:

“You’re all I want in heaven! You’re all I want on earth!”

The verse pulled me up short. Could I say that, honestly, with the psalmist? I continued to mull over the verse for the rest of the week.

It is easy to say, “You’re all I want in heaven, God.” Of course that would be true. Someday God will take me into glory (73:23-24), and I can’t wait for that day.

 “You’re all I want on earth”? That’s a different story.

I have many wants and needs this side of heaven. In my heart, I want to walk with God so much that every other desire pales by comparison. But look closer at my choices and you’ll see that that desire is not always in the forefront of my life.

David said, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1 NIV).

In other words,

• • David earnestly, sincerely sought for God.

• • He craved God like a desperately-thirsty man yearns for refreshing water.

• • His whole being—body and soul—groaned with deep longing for God.

Reality check. I am not yet to that level of desire. You may find yourself in that same place.

So what should we do?

1. To Know God Intimately, Diligently Seek Him.

God is not some remote, unknowable deity. He said to Jeremiah, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV). Proverbs 8:17 says, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me” (ESV).

God is personal and He desires a more intimate relationship with each of His children. Instead of feverishly pursuing all the “stuff” in life, hear what God says: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a ESV).

Stop striving. Be quiet and think about what really matters most. Better yet, think about WHO matters most.

2. To Find Lasting Satisfaction, ‘Feast’ on God.

Hunger and thirst for Father God is a healthy, holy desire. We hunger for many things in life that only satisfy temporarily. But satisfaction in God goes on forever.

David’s appetite for God grew as he recognized two things: (1) who God is and (2) his own need. What helped David to find his “wanter” filled was to spend time “feasting” on God, communing with Him and studying His Word.

As he began to know God better, he better understood how God could meet his needs.

3. To Build Your Knowledge of God, Step Up Your Desire.

We desire many things in life. Some build us spiritually, but some are to our detriment. Many activities and desires can get in the way of knowing God. Like David, we should earnestly desire and long for more and more of our Creator and His Son, Jesus.

Jeremiah says our boast should be in this: that we have the understanding to know God—who He is and what He does (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Paul said, “I want to know Christ” (Philippians 3:10a).

We get to know God better through prayer, the Word, the Holy Spirit, and fellowship with other believers; so we need to step up our desire for these things too.

4. To Cultivate the Relationship, Obey the Lord’s Commands.

One last thought—even though it’s not mentioned in any of the previous verses. Many people can claim to know God, but if they are not obeying Jesus’ commands, the truth is not in them (1 John 2:4). Furthermore, by keeping His commands, we are doing those things that are pleasing in His sight (1 John 3:22), which cultivates the relationship with Him.

Let’s be sure we’re not only seeking, feasting on, and desiring God, but that we’re also committed to obey Him faithfully.

One thing is sure. God wants us to want Him more!

Do you desire God more than anything or anyone on earth? Which of the four points can help you pursue knowing Him more?

Dawn Wilson, the founder and director of Heart Choices Today, is the creator of Truth Talk with Dawn. She is a contracted worker for the Revive Our Hearts ministry, and a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. Dawn’s book, Truth Talk for Hurting Hearts, will be out in mid-2024. She and her husband live in sunny Southern California. They have two grown, married sons and three granddaughters she affectionately calls her “kiddles.”

Graphic Adapted: Courtesy of Anna Urlapova.