WHAT DOES GOD REALLY WANT FROM US?
(See the video link at the bottom of this post, explaining!)
The Bible reveals that God wants ALL persons to come to belief in Him / in Jesus. But it also tells us that mere belief in His existence will not save us, because even demons at least believe in God's / Jesus' existence and who He is (Bible: Even demons believe in Jesus). And if God only desired our belief in His existence, it wouldn't really make sense that He's not shown Himself to everyone in some obvious or miraculous way. And the fact that He has NOT made Himself undeniably obvious, in some spectacular way, brings up some important questions: WHY??? And WHAT IF HE'S LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MORE FROM US than simple belief in His existence? Yes, He could reveal Himself in whatever powerful ways - put a big flashing sign up in the night sky, saying, "Here I am!," etc. He could even terrify us with some awesome displays of His fierce power. But that would only create fear, awe, and FORCE from us simple acknowledgment of His existence and power. But it wouldn't produce in us what God / Jesus says He REALLY wants - which is our love, submittance, commitment, appreciation, and deep desire to know Him as He truly is. God is PERSONAL, and thus He wants to enter into a loving relationship with us - so badly and out of such unfathomable love, that Christ was willing to die a terrible death for us, to make this possible (but ONLY for those who will love and submit to Jesus).
Given God's great power, IF mere belief in His existence is ALL He is after, if would be very easy for Him to obtain it from us. But, in the first century, when God was here on earth, in the human form of Jesus of Nazareth, many saw Him up close, doing many astounding miracles and healings, and heard Him say some of the wisest and most-profound words humanity has ever heard. He even raised people from the dead. And yet, many, nonetheless, refused to desire Him or to love Him back. Many mocked Him and ultimately applauded His execution. He just wasn't the God many of them wanted or expected. So, most denied Who He truly was / and is. So, even if people simply believed in God's existence and realized that Jesus was / IS God in human form, whose body died and was Resurrected to life, and who promised to come back for His followers - that doesn't mean they would automatically ALSO desire Him as their Lord or submit to and love Him. It was just mean they would only and unavoidably be made aware of His existence.
So, as the Bible says, just believing in God's / Jesus' EXISTENCE will NOT save a person, it also tells us that His salvation requires from us something more! And make no mistake, the Bible tells us that God has provided considerable evidence of His existence. And today, we have access to many incredible scientific, archaeological, and historic evidences, in addition to, a large number of proven and fulfilled prophecies (including many about and accurately fulfilled by Jesus, along with substantial eyewitness testimonies about Him / the Messiah that was to come, His incredible ministry, and being seen alive by hundreds of people AFTER His brutal death and Crucifixion). AND, the Bible says we do not have to actually SEE God to know of His existence and what He wants of us - as He says He WANTS to and WILL reveal Himself in many OTHER powerful ways, to those who seek Him, pray, call on Him, and are willing to listen with open hearts and minds to His Scriptures, and His voice's wooing and calling to their spirits. EVERYONE who sincerely wants to know about God CAN know about Him - IF they will not permanently resist or avoid His calling them to Himself. People who permanently CAN'T know about God don't WANT to know about Him. And you'll never know any truth you refuse to know or seek!
People often demand "proof" of God on THEIR terms, but not on HIS. But make no mistake, God will (and HAS!) provide plenty of understandings and evidences of Himself, through a variety of means, experiences, personal realizations, etc, sufficient for belief (which will be unique to each person) - but these will only be EFFECTIVE upon one who TRULY wants to know the truth about the Lord and is willing to listen. As, again, for one who never sincerely WANTS to know the truths about God, including all those who permanently resist and reject Him, NO evidence or level understandings will ever be sufficient. Why? because THEY have mentally and spiritually blocked and resisted all truths about God they might otherwise have learned and responded to.
So, what does God really want from us - a really good explanation and analogy can be found in this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEQgaHmX6jQ