Lesson Three • The Wording of Prayer
Devotion 6: Needs vs. Wants

Pastor John Carter

As we conclude this week’s devotions and go into gathering together with the saints, I want to conclude the study of Matthew 6:7-8 with this difficult introspection of needs versus wants.

Jesus is about to walk us through a model prayer. He has just set up many different dos and do nots for us to consider when looking into prayer.

  1. Do not pray for others to see or recognize us.
  2. Do not pray with large eloquent words.
  3. Do not pray over and over again in hopes of being heard.
  4. Do pray in secret and praying intimately.
  5. Do pray knowing we have a God who knows and a Father who cares.

These are some of the things we have covered through our devotions in the last couple of weeks. I love that Jesus, as the instructor in this passage of Matthew chapter 6, informs us that our needs are clearly known to our Heavenly Father. Often times, it is when our wants are not met that we seem to get frustrated. Many say, “Yeah, all my needs are met, but I really want ______!” Have you ever fallen for this trap of the devil? I know I have. You see this happens to me when I shift my mind from a grateful heart, to the irritating little brat that thinks all my wants should be answered like my needs.

Has this ever happened to you? Have you mixed your needs and your wants all up? It is really a matter of priority, at least for me it is. I usually find myself full of stress because my wants are not being met and I give no thought to my needs. Ironically, they are being met. Examine today what you are stressing about. Is it a need or is it a want? When I am in one of these fits, as soon as I walk through the needs vs. wants and realize I am mostly stressing over wants, I quickly find myself thanking God that He has supplied my needs. It changes my approach to prayer and adoration to God from one that is full of stress to one that is full of gratitude.

In Matthew chapter 6, towards the end of the chapter, Jesus walks us through anxiety and the things we ought not to stress over. Matthew 6:25-26 says, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

Jesus goes into more detail about the lilies of the valley and how they are covered with more splendor than Solomon. Matthew 6:31-33 adds,“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

The call is that we not get distracted with all the needs and wants of life, but to be sure we have truly sought after the most important thing of all, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Today, as you are examining your prayer life and what that might mean for you, let me draw your attention back to Jesus’ words. Seek Him, His Kingdom, and His righteousness.

Paul says a very similar thing in Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Let me challenge you to simply take everything we have talked about so far and just do it.

  • Know that God hears us when we pray.
  • God knows what we need.
  • He cares about us.
  • He wants us to make His kingdom our priority.
  • He wants us to pursue His righteousness in our life.

Today, rest in the person of Jesus and anchor yourself to His promises. Take some time to just seek Him and praise Him for who He is.