Need

K-Lai — Sat, 06 Dec 2003 14:55:00 -0800

In need of grace, in need of love
In need of mercy raining down from high above
In need of strength, in need of peace
In need of things that only You can give to me.

In need of Christ, the perfect Lamb
My refuge strong, the great I Am
This is my song, my humble plea
I am Your child, I am in need.

- In Need, by Ross King

I was doing a study on this song earlier in the week, and I didn’t really have a chance to fully think through the impact of this truth. As all unoriginal people do when they first look at a subject, I looked up “need” in the dictionary. Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines need as “A state that requires supply or relief.” It’s a very humbling position, to be in need, to depend on others for supply or relief. As human beings, we don’t like being vulnerable. We don’t like to show weakness, or to be hurt or to become burdensome to others. This is especially true in American society, where the selfish “look out for number one” mentality reigns supreme. However, the idea of being in constant need is a theme addressed throughout Scripture. We must depend on God and be in need to Him.

This is far easier said than done, however. Think of it this way: how many times during a day do you go about your normal routine activities and not stop to think that you need God to carry you through the activity? How often do we work on our homework or spend time with friends and forget that without God we have no basis for joy? How often do we share The Bridge illustration or disciple a younger Christian and only have God in our minds, and not our hearts? Honestly, I’ve seen so many Christians who live in an ideal world, a world where having many so-called “tools” or “illustrations” make a person ready for “the ministry.” I put these key words in quotes because they are tossed about in many Christian circles. These “tools,” like the Bridge illustration or the Topical Memory System, are wonderful ways to share Christ with others, or to help a young Christian begin establishing spiritual disciplines of Scripture Memory and meditation. However, many Christians I know seem to think these define our spiritual growth. Now, of the things I’ve mentioned so far, I’ve basically used The Navigators’ material as examples, not because they’re the most guilty (no particular group here is more guilty than another), but because they happen to have the most material I see on a regular basis. Any formulaic method, designed to help be “more effective,” makes me think that Christianity is more of a business enterprise than a life relationship with the One True God of the universe. When used improperly, these methods take the place of the Holy Spirit in the minds of young Christians.

So back to need. Why the above bothers me so much is because I see the Christian life beyond memorizing Scripture, praying every day, sharing the gospel with others, and all of that. This God that we claim to serve and worship is “before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). Scripture also tells us that apart from Him we can’t do anything (Jn. 15:5). Why then do we insist on making it so easy to not depend on Him in our actions? Need is fuel for our worship. Because we need God, way more than He needs us, we must surrender every aspect of our lives to Him so that He can satisfy us. The essence of Scripture is based on need. We had all we needed in God, we turned away from Him, and He came to bring us back to Him. We need more than we ever realize. And it is by our confidence in His provision that we yield our lives to Him. Enough of these walls and defensive barriers that keep God out. Let us cast all of our anxiety on the Almighty God, because He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:6-7).

It’s a bold statement. Honestly, I can’t say that I confess my needs to God nearly enough. But by His amazing grace, I can say that this revelation truly challenged the core of my attitudes and motives.

k-lai.com: Need

Need