If you’ve ever raised toddlers, you know one of the main questions you ask them all day every day is some version of “what do you want?” —to eat, to drink, to do… which stuffed animal, which favorite water bottle, how to cut their PB&J… the list goes on.
We ask, not because we’re trying to spoil them, but we’re genuinely curious about what’s going on in their little heads and hearts. We love to watch who they’re becoming, the preferences they’re developing, and how they’re expressing their unique personalities.
Whether they’re whimpering and whining or excitedly bouncing and begging, I want to know what my sons want, I need to know what they need. At 2 and a half years old, they have no filter for their “Wanter.” They can’t turn it off or temper their desires. Their longings never hide far beneath the surface. They have no metric for deciding if they “should” or “shouldn’t” want something.
Children don’t hold back or measure how they express their needs. They can’t help but be as honest as they can be.
In this third session of our Conversations series, we hear Jesus ask another probing question, “What do you want me to do for you?” (twice!) And underneath His words, we hear His genuine curiosity, His desire to meet us in our desires.
If you’ve ever felt like your Wanter might be broken, then this prayer practice is for you. Push play on the above recording and receive permission from Jesus to be a kid who simply wants what you want. Listen for His invitation to ask, without holding back.
I can’t think of a single time when Jesus squelches someone’s desire. He welcomes every request, even when He knows something different is best. What if we don’t need to tame our Wanter, we need to trust our Giver?
Here’s your one minute teaser:
It matters what you want because it reveals who you are.
Our longings, our needs, our hopes and dreams might just be the truest things about us. Our wants point to what is real and deep within our souls. Our desires show that we were made in the image of a God who desires.
I don’t want my sons to stop wanting. Yes, I may need to redirect or clarify or help them understand why I can’t give them each and every desire. But my heart isn’t for them to turn off their hearts. I don’t want them to hold back, I want them to ask. And I want them to trust that I want what is best.
As deeply loved children, may we allow ourselves to freely express our heart’s truest desires. May we believe that our wanter isn’t wrong or flawed. And may we trust our Giver to know just how to respond. No matter how or what we ask.
If you haven’t been able to join us live yet, you can still come to any or all of the next 3 Sunday evenings at 8:30 EST. Register here to receive the free link for the remaining weeks.
This Sunday, April 6th, we’ll explore Jesus’ question, “Who condemns you?” as we prayerfully discern the difference between conviction and condemnation in our lives. If you struggle with voices of shame from within you or from the “crowds” around you, this practice may be a helpful and freeing tool. Join us!
with peace,
Sarah
In case you missed parts one and two:
"What are you seeking?"
What a joy to be with many of you last night as we kicked off our new 6-session Conversations series, based on my forthcoming prayer guide. (Thanks for your excitement! If you missed that announcement and invitation, see my last post here!)
"Why Are You So Afraid?"
Poll: Have you heard the old adage that there are 365 times in Scripture where it says “do not be afraid”? One for every day of the year, they say. So we never need to be afraid, they say.
P.S. My Holy Week Guides are now available in print and PDF! These 8 soulful meditations offer a daily poem, practice, and prayer to usher you from Palm Sunday to Easter. I would love to send you one!
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