The answer is simple. However, we as humans, have made it impossible to answer this question. What does God want from us? For some, the answer is quite simple and ordinary: nothing. He wants nothing from us because He doesn’t exist and We don’t want anything from Him. Moreover, He’s all fabricated nonsense from some religion that was made up thousands of years ago when people then had a good reason to believe in what they couldn’t understand, so they made the whole God-thing up to answer questions they couldn’t answer. With the advent of continued, deliberate, and scientific discovery, God lost His “position” of importance because He was simply “explained” away by every facet of human endeavor, to which believing in some nebulous Being up in the sky controlling everything, was counterintuitive and primitive. We have it all figured out with science, philosophy, epistemology, archeology, mathematics, and common sense. Reason, “enlightened” humanity from the 17th century onwards and God was reduced to a book of “fairy tales” plus good morals principles in which to live by, if one so chose to read the book. There are many other books about God with their own “fairy tales,” so who is to say which book is the “right one?” All religions are essentially the same and their book explains why their God is the “way” to enlightenment, nirvana, a better afterlife, or a sort of “molting” process where one continues the learning process, life after life, until union with God becomes achievable, or not. It is quite confusing and culturally founded, yet who is to say who is correct in their assessment of God through their own particular religious beliefs? It would be much easier if humanity believed in multiverses, “String Theory”, the Big Bang, evolution, and the Higgs Boson (God particle) which would rationally explain the secular worldview. Then, by the scientific approach, logic could then supersede any deity, consequently then, placing humanity in control.
It’s about control, isn’t it? Something or someone (God), is not understood by natural means so it is dismissed as simple-minded, archaic, and supernatural nonsense. Then, God is replaced with something which can be explained and controlled. After all, brilliant minds throughout history have shown us that whatever humans come up with as the solution to the existence of the universe must far outweigh the senseless pursuit of a supernatural Being who controls everything. There is just no convincing evidence for Him. Why? Basically, it all comes down to what and why is the meaning of all of it. Fear is the great directive. Fear consummates the inexhaustible human pursuit of controlling its inevitable destiny, which is death. How does one control fear of death, naturally? Again, one could be dismissive and journey onward until the finality occurs. Have a good time. Here today, gone tomorrow. No harm, no foul. One lived and died. Perhaps, there may from be quality control of sorts, but certainly not quantity. Many people live this way. Plunging themselves into the mundane, banality of life, one drifts off into the sunset, closes the eyes and is gone. Right. Perhaps, lest one forget, suffering! There is no life without suffering. The previous montage was a concocted, bald-faced lie. Life is marred with suffering, the lot of us do it to perfection. Humanity not only fears death, but suffering as well. Put the two together and one begets the greatest impending enemy of any society: anxiety. So, now we have an amalgamation of fear of death, suffering, and anxiety. And, we still think we are in control?
What does God want from us? First, one has to begin the process of accepting the possibility that God exists. That is a big starting point. Without acceptance that there might be something or someone who is supernatural, it simply will not get you there. There are millions of people who simply believe that there are no supernatural phenomena, and no supernatural, phenomena Maker, period. Hence, no God. For those of you who cannot come to any conclusion whatsoever of that possibility, good luck with that because the only control you’ve got is useless, baseless, and limited. Forgive me for casting aspersions, but that is not a joyful way to live, whatever time you’ve got left, and please use it wisely. By the way, don’t get caught looking the other way when crossing the street; at least be consistent about not believing in a God that loves you and wants no harm to come to you. It doesn’t matter, remember. You’re trillions of cells placed together in random exchange, processed from billions of years of evolutionary stardust. Who cares? But wait, you care. You’re in control, right?
For those of us who believe there’s something out there but can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, well, pick a side! Either you’re a naturalist, atheist or you’re not. This agnosticism is unwarranted and dumb, like playing both sides of the fence. Take a chance. What do you have to lose except a bunch of mixed-up friends that believe exactly like you do? There is no glee club in agnosticism. You’re either a Bear’s fan or a Packer’s fan. You can’t just say, “I like both teams” or you might just get shot. Finally, there are those of you who believe in a God. That means you believe there is the possibility of supernatural phenomena. Great! Here’s the rub. Which God, and why? There are many religions which believe in God. Which one is right? Does it matter? When you die, do you live on or not? Even if there is a God and you don’t live on after death, what does it matter which God you believe in. Pick one and go on. Now, if you believe there is a God and an afterlife, it’s still gets a little tricky. There is still a plethora of religions to choose from. How do you do know if you picked the right one? Maybe, in your after life, you come back as a cow? Or perhaps, you come back as yourself but you keep on doing it over and over and over again. In addition, there are religions that are pantheistic or panentheistic. In Pantheism, God is the universe and the universe is God. In Panentheism, it suggests that God is greater than the universe but includes it and interpenetrates it. Then, there are polytheistic religions with many gods. Now, there are three monotheistic religions. Simply put, only one God. They are Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. There is a fourth: Zoroastrianism, a Persian religion founded the 6th century BCE, but rarely followed today. In monotheism, God is one. The problem is, if one were to believe solely in one God, which one? A huge segment of the population of the world follows monotheism. But how can you tell which is the true God? Just ask a Muslim, Christian or Jew and they’ll tell you. Their God is the true God.
The question is still the same. What does God want from us? I think the answer lies in relationship. See, in Islam or Judaism, God manifests Himself as less personal. He’s God, we’re not. In Christianity, it’s different. God becomes very personal, in fact, He becomes human. He interacts with us. He speaks to us directly. He eats and drinks with us. He weeps. He sleeps. He’s involved. He also gets butchered, mutilated, and is hung on a cross and dies for us. He does all of those things willingly for us. See, Jesus is the only God that sacrifices for us. He takes on our sin and replaces it with His righteousness. He proves it by rising from the dead and going back to heaven to His rightful place. He does it for one reason only: love for us. What does God want from us? Relationship. He wants our love for Him. See, in Christianity, it’s not about what we can do for God, it’s about what God did for us. The is no path to God as in all other religions. God comes down from heaven, dies, resurrects, and takes us home to be with Him. All He wants is a relationship. As in all relationships about true unconditional love, the love is not 50/50; it’s 100/100. He gave 100%, He asks for your 100%. Can you trust, love, and give that to Jesus? That’s what He wants. What do you want?