What Else Could You Possibly Want?

I’ve probably mentioned this in other blog posts, and I know I have in sermons, but I’m stubborn.  To a fault sometimes.  It’s not the most endearing word in the world, but one of the most frequent and consistent adjectives that my wife has used to describe me is incorrigible.  It’s how I roll.  Sometimes it’s a benefit.  Sometimes it’s a detriment.  When I really, really want something, I usually get it. 

Sometimes to her benefit and sometimes to her detriment, my 12 year old daughter Anna is my emotional twin.  She is tall, slender, graceful and beautiful like her mother.  On the inside, she can be as incorrigible as they come.  Well, not quite as incorrigible as I am, but close sometimes. 

Because we have a streak of incorrigibility, we sometimes (often?) have a really hard time enjoying the moment instead of thinking about what comes next and how we can begin plotting to get it.  Happens to me all the time.  It’s a real struggle for me to be in the moment and to be satisfied with what I have or what I’m doing.  It’s a struggle for her as well.

As a dad, it’s absolutely maddening sometimes.  I can only imagine what it’s like to be married to me.

This is an important thing to think about spiritually as well, and the Apostle Paul drives this home for us in his opening words in Ephesians 1 from today’s reading.  In v.3, he begins his letter to his friends in the Church at Ephesus with these words: “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.” 

What else could you possibly want?

Those are incredible words of hope and promise for us, straight from the heart of God.  Read them again slowly and think about each word, and each phrase.

All praise

Who has blessed us

Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms

Because we are united with Christ

If we know what it means to be united with Christ – in his death and resurrection – we can learn to be absolutely satisfied in every situation that comes to us in life.  Not only can we be satisfied, we can worship God with all praise! 

Do you realize that God has blessed you?  If you woke up and took a breath today, you’re blessed.  If you spent the night in bed with a spouse that loves you, you’re blessed.  If you have a roof over your head, running water, electricity and an internet connection to read this, you’re blessed.  If you were able to go to work today, you’re blessed (even if you hate your job).  If you had the opportunity to pack lunches this morning and get kids off to school today, you’re blessed.  If you have something to look forward today, tomorrow or this weekend, you’re blessed.

But the greatest blessing of all is what we have in Christ.  We don’t just have a little bit of what God wants to give us.  We have EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.  It’s good and right to be thankful for the tangible blessings we have in our lives – food, shelter, family, love and a means to provide for our families.  But more than that, the greatest thing in all the world is knowing that in Jesus, we have absolutely everything we could possibly want.

Our problems in life arise when we forget and neglect that and believe that somehow, in some way, we can find satisfaction for the deepest longings of our hearts in other things.  To put it bluntly, our problems arise from idolatry. 

We worship our work.  We worship our money and possessions.  We worship our status.  We worship our accomplishments or the accomplishments of our kids.  We worship at the altars of a culture that is hopelessly lost and broken without Christ’s redemption and healing power. 

Instead of always wanting more than what we have in Jesus, take time today to consider what you have in Him.  We are forgiven for our sins.  We are made right with God.  We are becoming a new creation because we are not defined by our past mistakes and failures.  We have deep healing in our hearts and minds of the scars that have accumulated over the years.  We have access to physical healing and restoration.  We have an advocate in the throne room of heaven that intercedes on our behalf when we are tempted to believe the condemnation of Satan in our hearts and minds.  We have a King who has conquered sin and death and hell. 

We have all of this in Christ!  What else could you possibly want?

If you’re reading this, and you haven’t trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and believed that he died and rose for you, you’ll never have any of these things, and you’ll always find yourself wanting more.  And you’ll never be satisfied – there will always be a hunger, a void and an emptiness that only Christ can fill.