Wish in one hand, want in the other.

     Don't you just love sayings like this.  I picked this one up from my Army days.  My Sargent had just heard my request for something non-essential.  Basically he was telling me that I couldn't have what I wanted.  I could wish and want all day long and still would not receive that which I sought.  Over the years I have been granted a lot of wishes and wants.  Some were valued and some were not.  The truth about wishes and wants was never taught to me growing up.  I suspect that was because we lived in a "needs" world.  Our lives were focused on taking care of our basic needs and not wishes and wants.  If we wanted a wish or want we were placed in a situation of what would we be willing to do to have them.  At one point in my childhood I wanted a bicycle very badly.  My classmate had one for sale.  I talked my mom into fronting me the money from my $ .10 a week allowance.  We went to my classmates house and picked up the bicycle. When we were back home reality set in.  I didn't know how to ride a bicycle.  Be careful about what you wish for, you might just get it.  Boy was that true.  I did learn how to ride the bicycle and spent many hours riding here and there.
     It wouldn't be until years later that I would learn about wishes and wants.  In the meantime I learned about needs.  Needs were what we required for living.  I needed oxygen, water and food.  I wanted candy, soda and chips!  Don't get me wrong; there are still many items that I wish and want. However, economics made the list very short until I began to earn "my own money."  Affording the wishes and wants suddenly became much easier.  Now all I was missing was wisdom and common sense.  Long after the money was gone, my wishes and wants list had continued to grow.  We exercised common sense and wisdom in the needs area of our lives though.  Through out my life the needs have continued to be there and even evolving as my life has changed.  Needs now include medicine, books to understand my changing world, and pets for company.  When I was a child these things were far from my mind.  Now they are up close and personal.
     When I was in the Army I remembered Janis Joplin's song about the Mercedes Benz.  My dream of owning a Mercedes Benz was born and the wish remained for many years.  Several years ago I purchased my first Mercedes at an auction.  Nice car but needed a lot of work.  Work on the car cost money and excess money I did not have.  It's a beautiful car and was a wish and want on my list.  Obtaining the car only birthed in me a new wish and want.  That's the way it is with the wish and want.  We end up having our next wish or want just out of reach.  Meanwhile the needs list has changed and remained focused on the essentials for living.  My balance between wishes and wants and needs is often off balance.  Both of them suffer as a result.  If I invest in one, the other gets less.  Sometimes I can't even meet my needs.  That's when the real priority comes up.  God has always been so good to me.  He provides all of my needs and all of my wishes and wants; only according to his wisdom and common sense.
     The Bible tells me that he will meet all of our needs.  It also tells us to bring all our concerns to Him and he will attend to them.  The Bible does not say he will give us all that we want.  Nor does the Bible teach us that if we are Christian that we will be rich.  The Bible says we are already rich in the salvation we have through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Riches took on new meaning when I realized that I was bankrupt before God.  With nothing to offer God in exchange I humbly accepted his grace for my life.  What is it that God wishes or wants for me?  What is it that God sees as essential needs for me?  He wants my life focused on Him and not me.  In that state I am the richest man in the world.  Wishes, wants and needs are taken care of by God by his choosing.  When we are submitted to God he blesses us beyond belief.  When I give him my wishes, wants and needs, he uses my now empty hands to bless others.  How about it?  Ready to be blessed?