What God Wants of Me 

   “Why did God make me?  God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.” (Baltimore Catechism) 

   I love the simplicity of the Baltimore Catechism.  In use from 1885 to the late 1960's it  helped school children better understand their faith.  As we mature it is right to look much more deeply into our faith, our purpose and what God wants of us.  But unless we have the basics, more advanced understanding will be quite difficult, if even possible.

   God wants me to know Him.  It’s not possible to know Him fully, but I can know Him in my life by the peace He gives, the love He has for me and for the many blessings He has given me.

   He wants me to love Him.  I can’t love as He loves but I can love Him to the best of my ability.  I believe that a sincere desire to love Him even more results in the grace to do so.

   I am not only to know and love Him, but to serve Him in all I do.  Being a Christian involves more than faith, it requires putting that faith into action.  If I believe, I must follow the example of Christ in my life.

   What does God want of me?  He wants me to give myself to Him totally and completely.  He wants me to put my earthly desires aside and desire only Him.  In this way, and with His help, I can become the man that God created me to be. 

You want me to be holy.

But only You can make me holy.

I give myself to You.

I plead with You, make me holy. 

Amen