What Does God Want? • Ps David Storer

Apr 25, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Where Are You in the Garden

Adam heard God’s footsteps in the cool evening. Leaves rustled. The couple hid behind trees they once named with joy. God called, “Where are you?”—not to expose shame but to restore connection. The Creator walked through Eden seeking those made to walk with Him. Their choice to distrust wounded His heart more than rules broken. [13:26]

This moment reveals God’s priority: relationship over retribution. He didn’t demand explanations or penance first. He sought their presence. Even after betrayal, His first move was pursuit, not punishment.

You hide when you feel unworthy. You build fig-leaf barriers of busyness or perfectionism. Yet God still walks toward your hiding places, asking, “Where will you let Me find you today?” What area of your life have you walled off from His pursuing voice?

“They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’”
(Genesis 3:8-9, NASB)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal one hidden place where He’s calling, “Where are you?”

Challenge: Write down three words describing how Adam felt before hiding. Circle the one you relate to most today.

Day 2: The Risk of a Homeless Boy’s Offer

Ragged boys mobbed the traveler in Calcutta’s airport. Arms reached not to steal but to serve. The security guard explained, “They want to carry your bags.” What seemed like chaos was an invitation to receive help. The man’s fear turned to wonder at their persistent offer. [03:22]

God’s pursuit often looks different than we expect. He comes through unlikely people and uncomfortable moments, not to take but to give. Our defenses misinterpret His heart. He risks rejection to offer connection.

You brace for demands when God extends gifts. You see problems; He sees possibilities. Where have you mistaken His knock for an attack? Will you let down your guard long enough to receive what He wants to give?

“The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.’”
(Jeremiah 31:3, NASB)

Prayer: Thank God for three unexpected ways He’s pursued you this month.

Challenge: Text one person who recently offered help: “Yes, let’s connect this week.”

Day 3: The Tree and the Real Choice

God planted two trees in Eden’s center. One bore forbidden fruit. He didn’t remove the tree or the choice. Danger and desire grew side by side. The Creator valued authentic love over forced compliance. Real devotion requires freedom to walk away. [16:22]

The forbidden tree wasn’t a trap but an altar. Every “no” to temptation is a “yes” to relationship. God wants worship that costs something—the surrender of self-rule. Your choices matter because they mirror His own creative freedom.

You face daily trees—opportunities to trust or take control. What seems restrictive protects your capacity to love freely. Where are you reaching for quick knowledge instead of lasting connection?

“The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat...’”
(Genesis 2:16-17, NASB)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve chosen control over communion.

Challenge: Place a fruit bowl where you’ll see it daily. Let it remind you to choose trust.

Day 4: Bride Made Ready at Dawn

The Lamb’s bride prepares herself. No forced march down the aisle. No bribed “I do.” She chooses adornment—righteousness as linen, devotion as jewels. Heaven holds its breath as she whispers, “I want Him.” The wedding feast begins when both hearts say, “Finally.” [24:25]

Revelation’s climax isn’t judgment but joyful union. God wants mutual desire, not reluctant duty. Your fumbling steps toward Him matter more than flawless performance. He values your “yes” over your success.

You strain to perfect your spiritual resume. But Christ wants your hand in His, not your achievements on display. What pressure can you release to simply be present with Him today?

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.”
(Revelation 19:7, NASB)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to renew your first “yes” to Him.

Challenge: Wear something special today as a reminder: you’re chosen.

Day 5: Angels Lean In to Watch

Unseen hosts peer at earth’s drama. They gasp as addicts choose prayer, parents forgive abusers, teens resist lies. Each choice ripples through realms. Your stumbling faithfulness astounds them. Through you, they grasp God’s wisdom: love risks rejection to gain true devotion. [27:16]

You’re heaven’s living parable. When you worship through pain or give despite lack, you prove God’s worth. Angels see what He knew all along—your freedom makes your love priceless.

Your ordinary moments have cosmic significance. What routine act today could declare God’s worth to watching realms?

“...so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.”
(Ephesians 3:10, NASB)

Prayer: Thank God that your choices impact eternity.

Challenge: Sing one worship song aloud today—even if quietly—as a declaration to unseen realms.

Sermon Summary

Creation frames the whole story as a pursuit rather than a plan: God forms a being in his image, grants the freedom to choose, and walks in the cool of the day to fellowship. That freedom introduces real risk, yet God persists through covenant, prophecy, and rescue not to coerce obedience but to win devotion. The arc of Scripture traces this relentless pursuit from Eden to the wedding feast in Revelation, showing that the end is not merely rescue from judgment but reunion in intimate presence. Human failure does not derail the pursuit; rather, each call, covenant, and prophetic plea reveals a God who desires a freely given heart.

The presence of the forbidden tree becomes intelligible when seen as creating genuine choice; love that can be coerced would not satisfy the heart of God. Angels and unseen powers observe the drama, learning divine wisdom as they behold fallen creatures return to faithful devotion. Worship and rededication function as public testimony before the spirit realm, showing that faith chooses relationship over self-interest. The cross appears as the grand demonstration of the lengths God will go to reclaim that relationship, offering a way back for those who will freely return.

The invitation at the close points to an accessible, decisive response: a willing yes that opens the heart to restored fellowship. That yes need not wait for perfection; it requires only the deliberate use of freedom to choose God. The narrative reorients believer and seeker alike around a central truth: what God values most is the real, risky devotion of persons who can say yes and mean it. The biblical storyline thus emerges as a love pursuit that prizes freely given allegiance above automatic obedience, culminating in God dwelling with humanity in unmediated communion.

Key Takeaways

1. God wants authentic relationship, not obedience God values a returned heart more than flawless behavior. The creation of beings in God’s likeness shows a desire for persons who reflect God’s character by choice. True worship therefore carries relational risk and reward, because it cannot be manufactured or coerced. This explains why the biblical drama centers on pursuit rather than mere rule-keeping. [04:29]
2. Free will makes devotion truly meaningful The gift of choice makes devotion costly and therefore genuine. By allowing freedom, God accepts the possibility of betrayal so that any returned love becomes a real treasure. Devotion that could have been otherwise holds infinite worth in the divine economy. This reframes failure as opportunity for authentic restoration rather than final defeat. [16:22]
3. Bible reveals God’s relentless pursuit A single thread runs from Eden to Revelation: God refuses to be without the creatures he made like himself. Covenants, prophets, and the incarnation all testify to an unbroken movement toward reunion. Reading Scripture through that lens clarifies disparate stories into one coherent purpose. The climax shows God receiving what he risked everything to gain. [07:47]
4. Worship testifies to the spirit realm Human devotion functions as revelation to angelic and spiritual watchers, displaying the wisdom of God’s design. Angels learn the value of freely chosen love when they observe flawed creatures respond in faith. Every act of worship becomes a visible sign that choice can redeem what rebellion broke. This spiritual testimony magnifies the significance of ordinary faithfulness. [25:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:22] - First impressions of the facility
[01:29] - Opening prayer
[01:56] - India arrival story
[02:25] - Learning a new perspective
[03:50] - Asking what God truly wants
[07:47] - One thread through Scripture
[10:33] - Creation and the gift of likeness
[13:26] - The Fall and God’s question
[18:02] - He wants you
[22:49] - The destination of union
[31:50] - Invitation to choose
[34:24] - Closing prayer and response

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV)
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

Revelation 21:3 (ESV)
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’”

Ephesians 3:10 (ESV)
“So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”

Observation Questions

According to Genesis 1:26-27, what distinguishes humans from the rest of creation? How does this relate to the idea of God wanting relationship over mere obedience?
In Revelation 21:3, what is the ultimate destination of God’s story with humanity? How does this connect to the sermon’s emphasis on reunion over rescue?
The sermon mentions that the forbidden tree in Eden “creates genuine choice” ([16:22]). Why was this choice necessary for authentic devotion?
Ephesians 3:10 says the church displays God’s wisdom to spiritual beings. What does this imply about the significance of human worship?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God designed humans with free will, knowing it could lead to betrayal? How does this reflect His priorities?
The sermon describes the cross as “the grand demonstration of the lengths God will go to reclaim relationship” ([29:36]). How does Jesus’ sacrifice emphasize God’s desire for freely given love rather than forced obedience?
The angels in Ephesians 3:10 “learn divine wisdom” by observing human faithfulness. What might this teach us about the purpose of our struggles and choices?
How does the imagery of a wedding feast in Revelation 19-21 redefine what it means to be “ready” for God?

Application Questions

In what practical ways can you prioritize cultivating a relationship with God over simply trying to “behave better” this week?
Reflect on a time when you chose devotion to God despite difficulty or doubt. How did that choice deepen your understanding of His love?
The sermon says worship is a “public testimony before the spirit realm” ([25:03]). How might this truth change the way you approach worship—both privately and in community?
The invitation to say “yes” to God doesn’t require perfection ([31:50]). What area of your life feels unworthy to bring to Him right now, and how could you offer it to Him as an act of trust?
If “God values a returned heart more than flawless behavior,” how can you extend grace to yourself or others when failures happen?
The sermon emphasizes that God “refuses to be without you” ([18:50]). How does this truth challenge feelings of shame or unworthiness in your walk with Him?
What is one intentional step you can take this week to use your freedom to choose God in a specific area (e.g., relationships, habits, priorities)?

Sermon Clips

56s

#YouOverPerfection

“God doesn't just want our worship. He doesn't just want our obedience. He doesn't actually just want your service. What he wants is you. He wants you. Not perfect you, just you. Falling over, getting up, imperfect you, he wants you. It's very valuable to him. Alright? You with your doubts, with your history, with your questions, that is the only thing that makes the entire bible make sense. It's God's pursuit of you. Yeah. Alright? From the garden to Genesis to the wedding in Revelation, the whole bible is a story of a God who refuses to be without you.”

37s

#GodReachesForUs

“And so the Bible isn't the story about us reaching for God, it's the story of God reaching for us again, and again, and again, and again. Listen to the way the way Jesus prayed in in John 17, he says, Father, I desire that they also whom you've given to me may be with me where I am. Alright? I'm praying, father, they'll obey and they'll be behaved. Now he says, no. What I want is they'll be with me where I am. Alright? That's the heart of God in one sentence. I want them with me.”

48s

#SayYesToGod

“And now that you know what God wants, what are you going to do? Are you gonna give him your yes? He's not waiting for you to get perfect. He's just saying, sitting here right now with all that's going on in your life, would you open your heart to me? That's so precious to him. Many of us in this room know the power of that yes. Not imperfection, struggling, fumbling, bumbling, but we gave God our yes and his grace entered our lives, and that's our beginning.”

47s

#UnionWithGod

“It's, please don't make it all about a rescue, and I get to go to heaven, forgiveness, yeah, all that, but if the bible ends there, it's about union. It's about union. Alright? God with us, and us with God. And just before this picture of union, we get a clear revelation of what God wanted all along. Revelation 19, the wedding celebration of the lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Now, that's symbolic language. The fact that the bible wants to refer to you, church, as the bride is is is very insightful.”

43s

#RelationalBetrayal

“Where are you? That reveals something about the heart of God. It wasn't judgment, it was the it was a grieving over the loss of of relationship. Please don't think God was upset because somebody ate his apple. Please don't do that. That is so petty. No, that was you know what that was? That was relational betrayal. If we had time, we'd look at the fact that what they said was, hey, so we can have this knowledge and be like God without God. Yeah, we want that. That was relational betrayal, and it wounded the heart of God because they chose life without him.”

41s

#GodStillReaches

“Why take the enormous risk of giving them a free will to choose for ourselves what we wanted, knowing we could take that freedom and walk away from him with that freedom? And and when the first humans did choose to use their freedom to betray him, why didn't he just hit the delete button? I said, that was a bad idea. Let's not do that again. No, he doesn't. And then after humanity chooses life independent of God, the the first recorded question that God asked is not, what have you done, but where are you?”

40s

#ChooseGodToday

“Wow. We're not talking about religion. We're not talking about church attendance. We're talking about a very deliberate, intentional moment where you took your freedom and you chose God with it. If you can't point to a time in your life where you willingly and intentionally took your freedom and said, today, I choose to open my life to you. Come into my life. I need you, God. I know I'm incomplete without you. If you've never done that, you need to do it today. And that's what this prayer is. It's a heart opening prayer to God.”

40s

#WorshipRevealsYou

“And every time I want you to know I get this part. Every time you lift your hands and declare your devotion to God, you're actually declaring to the spirit realm. You see? God didn't make a mistake. Giving us free will wasn't the floor in our design. It's the only way that God could get what he wanted. Me. Me. It's the only way you could get it. And that's why your worship matters more than you know, because you become a revelation, a holy shockwave through the spirit realm.”

52s

#DevotionOverObedience

“and we get it now, that you couldn't have this without the freedom, that love without choice isn't love at all, and that devotion freely given is more powerful than obedience demanded. God, we get it now. Alright? The risk was real, the pain was great, but the reward was God got what he wanted, you. You. Another version of you that he had to manipulate with fear, not someone bribed into devotion with blessings, not someone pretending faithfulness over selfishness, but you for real. Yeah. Fumbling, bumbling, falling over, getting up, struggling, but God watches you get up, and he says, wow.”

33s

#PreciousWorship

“this being that's like him and yet freely choosing their devotion towards him. That's what makes your worship so precious to God. So you do. That's why because that's what it is. It's like, god and the angels are looking on it, and the angels are going, wow, that being has the freedom. And they're taking that freedom, and they're loving you with it. Wow. That's amazing. Yeah. It's a wonder to them. Alright?”

56s

#TreasureOfRelationalLove

“why, over and over, we read now, we go start going through the thread, and humans are messing up over and over and over again, worshiping other spiritual beings, acting ungrateful, unfaithful. Why didn't he abandon them? Why does he keep reaching out? What does he want? Does he want our obedience in exchange for his reward? What is it? Alright? Or does he want something deeper? Alright? Something like the treasure of a relational connection with a being that he knows has the freedom to choose him or reject him. Again, does he want the treasure of a relational connection with a being that he knows has the ability to either choose him or reject him.”

44s

#GodWalksWithYou

“And and and so why? Well, why did God bother? Why did he create us so much like himself? Alright? So I'm building up this curiosity, I hope, in your mind, and then he said, it says, they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, not shouting from a distance, not sending an angel instead, but God himself coming down, walking amongst them. Why? What did he want? Why was he doing that? Alright? Why would an all powerful, all sufficient God who needs nothing is complete in himself, why would he choose to be amongst these beings?”

40s

#OneStoryOfScripture

“Because once we understand what God wants, it tells us something of the ways of God. Right? It's a revelation of his ways, and it, therefore, we can position ourselves to receive, you know, what he wants. So where can we go to really settle this question and and discover what God wants? Well, I'm gonna put to you that there's actually one story in your bible. There's only really one story, and and it's a thread that runs from Genesis all the way to Revelation, and once you see it, you can't unsee it.”

44s

#UnderstandGodToReceive

“So what does God want? Have we ever really stopped to answer that question? Because a lot of our time is spent thinking about what we want. We want answers. We want healing. We want clarity. We want breakthrough, and none of those things is wrong. Probably, we'll start talking about them next Sunday, but right now, we're trying to answer this question, what does God want? You know, and I wonder if if that's part of the reasons why we struggle to receive what we want from God because we haven't really understood what God wants.”

43s

#CreatedToRelate

“let us make creatures that are just obedient to carry out our will. No, he's saying, let us make them like us. Alright? So God shared something of himself with us, his capacity to relate, to reason, to reflect, and the freedom to choose. I might as well tell you that I When I'm making certain points, I hear dramatic music in my head. Alright? So I'm just gonna go ahead and do that. I'm just I'm over it. I'm old enough to be so relaxed up here, I'm just gonna go, you know, I'm hearing it, so I'm gonna say, the freedom to choose.”

51s

#AngelsMarvelAtUs

“Or how could these self willed, selfish creatures ever bring any joy to the heart of God? But then, they see you. They see you. Not perfect, but still faithful. They see the free will of humans with faith, choosing him over fear, choosing sacrifice over self, and in that moment, they see, listen, they see the wisdom of God. I'm gonna ask the team to come back and help me. This this this is the the awe that they're seeing. God, we thought you'd made a big mess up, but now we see what you wanted,”

38s

#SomethingDeeperThanWorship

“So I think it's this question. Let's settle. Okay. In our minds, what does God want? Because it's actually a revelation of who he is. That's where we're going this morning. So maybe you already think you know the answer to that, and you're thinking, you poor Perth person. Right? You you you have had to come to Melbourne to be enlightened about what God wants. We know what he wants. He wants our faith, he wants our worship, and yes, all of those things, but what if all those things point to something deeper?”

41s

#LightbulbMoment

“I flew into Calcutta in the nineteen eighties thinking, well, you just you just get out of that terminal and catch a taxi, and off you go. Well, not so. So, I arrived about 10:30 at night, and I walked out into the car park area and was immediately mobbed by this pack of boys, grabbing at my bag, yelling at me, waving their arms, and and I just kept walking thinking, they'll give up. No, the crowd just got bigger, and in the end, it was such a ruckus that I just turned around and started to walk back towards the terminal to try and get away.”

39s

#SeeTheHiddenWhy

“at the door was a security guard, and I said to the security guard, what did they want? What did they want? I couldn't work out what they wanted. Because it was quite obvious they weren't trying to steal anything. They weren't trying to be violent towards me, but it was very confusing. What what do they want? And he said, well, these boys are homeless. They sleep here, and they've worked out, rather than beg, it's better to try and carry your bags and get some money that way. And so they're arguing over who gets to carry your bags, and it was like a lightbulb moment.”

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What Does God Want? • Ps David Storer

Devotional

Day 1: Where Are You in the Garden

Day 2: The Risk of a Homeless Boy’s Offer

Day 3: The Tree and the Real Choice

Day 4: Bride Made Ready at Dawn

Day 5: Angels Lean In to Watch

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

What Does God Want? • Ps David Storer

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