God’s greatest desire for mankind is for us to have a loving relationship with Him and with one another. Throughout the Bible, we see God reaching out to humanity and desiring for us to know Him and walk in His ways. God created us for relationship – first with Himself and then with others. Knowing God and living in harmony with His desires for us allows us to experience the fullness of life He intends.
Why did God create mankind?
According to the Bible, God created mankind for several key reasons:
- For relationship and fellowship with Him (Genesis 1:26-27)
- To reflect His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27)
- For mankind to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28)
- For mankind to have dominion over creation (Genesis 1:28)
- To display His glory through mankind (Isaiah 43:7)
Most fundamentally, God created us because He is love (1 John 4:8) and desired to share His love with created beings made in His image. He wants relationship with us – that we would know Him, walk with Him, commune with Him, and reflect His goodness.
How does God show His desire for relationship?
Throughout the Bible, God takes the initiative to draw mankind to Himself and demonstrate His desire for relationship:
- God walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8)
- He had direct fellowship with early figures like Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Noah (Genesis 6:9)
- He established a covenant relationship with Abraham, promising to be His God (Genesis 17:7)
- He delivered the Israelites out of slavery to be in relationship with them (Exodus 6:7)
- He gave the law and commandments to reveal His will (Exodus 20)
- He spoke through the prophets, calling Israel back to Himself (Jeremiah 7:25)
- He dwelt among us in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14)
- He gave us His Spirit to know Him intimately (John 14:16-17)
The entire storyline of Scripture is God reaching out to mankind in love, desiring that we would know Him and live in fellowship with Him.
What does God desire from His relationship with us?
Fundamentally, God desires:
- Our love and devotion (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37)
- Fellowship through prayer (Jeremiah 33:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
- Worship and adoration (John 4:23-24)
- Obedience to His commands (John 14:15, 1 John 5:3)
- Trust in Him (Proverbs 3:5-6)
- Bearing spiritual fruit (John 15:5-8)
God wants us to willingly choose relationship with Him, to walk in intimacy and truly know Him. He desires our hearts more than religious ritual or outward acts of service (Hosea 6:6). As we respond to Him in loving relationship, our lives overflow in worship, obedience, and bearing spiritual fruit.
How does God want us to relate to others?
In addition to desiring relationship with us as individuals, God also wants us to live in loving community with one another. His great commandments are to love Him and love others (Matthew 22:37-39). Key ways God calls us to relate to others include:
- With compassion (Colossians 3:12)
- In harmony (Romans 12:16)
- With humility (Ephesians 4:2)
- Practicing forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32)
- In service (Galatians 5:13)
- Building unity (Ephesians 4:3)
Healthy relationships where we truly love others require laying down our own selfishness and pride. God desires unity among Christians that displays His love to the watching world (John 13:35).
How can we live out God’s desires?
Here are some key ways we can actively cooperate with God’s desires and live out His plan for relationship with Him and others:
- Cultivate a vibrant prayer life (Philippians 4:6-7)
- Study and meditate on God’s Word (Psalm 119:97)
- Participate faithfully in a local church (Hebrews 10:24-25)
- Pursue spiritual gifts to build up others (1 Corinthians 12:7)
- Share the Gospel in word and deed (Matthew 28:19-20)
- Live out the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
- Practice regular fellowship with other believers (Acts 2:42)
- Walk in holiness and purity (1 Peter 1:14-16)
Fulfilling God’s desires begins with yielding our lives completely to Him (Romans 12:1-2). As we submit to His Lordship, our thoughts, words, and actions will increasingly align with His wonderful purposes.
What happens when we don’t live according to God’s desires?
When we ignore God’s desires and purposes for our lives, it damages our relationship with Him and others and leads to negative consequences:
- It grieves the heart of God (Genesis 6:6, Psalm 78:40)
- It severs us from intimate fellowship with Him (Isaiah 59:2)
- It leads us into sin and darkness (1 John 1:6)
- It deprives us of God’s blessings and purposes (Jeremiah 18:10)
- It wounds others and divides relationships (Galatians 5:15)
- It damages our witness and testimony (2 Samuel 12:14)
- It results in God’s loving discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11)
Choosing our own way over God’s always brings pain and consequences in the end. God in His mercy uses the consequences of our sin to draw us back to Himself in repentance and renewed relationship.
What is God’s ultimate purpose for mankind?
The Bible reveals that God’s ultimate purpose and destiny for those who trust in Christ is eternal life in face-to-face relationship with Him. In the New Heavens and New Earth, we will perfectly love, serve, and enjoy unhindered fellowship with God and one another forever (Revelation 21:3-4). Until then, we walk with Him by faith, yielding ourselves to His desires each day, becoming more like Christ, and hope has set before us (1 John 3:2-3).
Conclusion
God created us for loving relationship with Himself and others. All His desires for mankind stem from His great love and His purposes for our lives. As we walk in intimacy with God through Christ and yield ourselves to His purposes, we experience the profound joy, meaning, and fulfillment that comes from living in alignment with why we were created. Our loving Creator invites us to know Him deeply and walk with Him daily. May we respond wholeheartedly to His wondrous plan and desires for us.