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A Prayer

Against

“I Want”

September 2005

Mighty God, you love us with an everlasting love, why is that not enough for us?

Sometimes Lord we desire a thing with all our hearts. We may desire to be thought well of. We want others to look upon us and admire. We want them to gape and say, “Look, there goes a wonder of the world.” We would never admit this in these words, of course. This is a secret thing. Forgive us, Lord, our foolishness.

Or we want wealth. We want to win the lottery. We want to have lots and lots of money. Lovingly we go over in our minds what we would do if we had a pile of money. We would give some to the church, yea Lord, we are good people or we like to think we are, but we also are nearly consumed sometimes by “I want” or “I need” or “I desire.”

Sometimes we want something specific. We want a new car, or a new house, or a new computer, we want, we want, we want, and our wants dominate our mind and heart so much that we have no peace within ourselves. Our minds are constantly in turmoil, constantly seeking.

Our wants make us proud and grasping people. We do not care about others. We care about what we want. We lie awake nights thinking what we want, how we would use it and treasure it—whatever it is.

“I want” dominates our lives. The thing I want does not dominate me, but just “I want.”

How sad it is when I get what I want, the thing I want, I am often disappointed. Having it is not what I imagined it to be when I wanted it .

The same is true of fame and fortune. If I had a pile of money and the admiration of others, what would I have? Nothing is more fleeting than fame; nothing is more easily lost than money.

Why should I lose sleep over such trivia?

Teach me, Lord to think less of myself and my wants. Teach me to dwell only on you, O God, and to seek only your purpose for my life. Let me be dead to self, and then I will not be troubled by petty and paltry matters. Let me be devoted not to outward things but to you alone Lord. Let me seek only your sweet voice as you speak in the innermost recesses of my heart.

This is my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you have questions or comments, email Tony Grant

Last Modified: 09/12/05