Thursday, September 18, 2008

Designed With a Need

When a newborn, my son’s wants matched his needs. He required nutrients, sleep, a regulated body temperature, clean diapers, and loving touches in order to thrive. A year-and-a half later, Pickle, like most toddlers, still thinks that his wants and needs are synonymous. I’m working on teaching him to think otherwise.


It’s been more than three decades since my stint as a swaddled infant, but times still exist when I too confuse my wants and needs. Sometimes I think that I need my husband to lavish me with compliments for me to feel loved. Frequently I think I need appliances and gadgets that will make homemaking easier. And, there is always a new dress that is needed in my closet.


Earlier this week, I was reminded about a genuine need. A need that is not mine alone. While walking my Dachshund, I deposited a trash bag into a dumpster. There, written in candy apple red paint, were the words “We all need Jesus.”


The truth of those words grabbed my heart faster than the annoyance of noticing graffiti in my neighborhood.


Everyone on this planet shares a need. The need for unconditional love…for acceptance…for forgiveness….For. A. Savior. This need can be denied as easily as a young woman fighting an eating disorder can deny her need for food, but denial cannot change reality.


We need Jesus. We need the sustenance of his unfailing love. We need the rest that comes from a security only he can provide. We need his grace to cleanse our sins. We need Jesus, and nothing in ourselves, in another person, or of this world can substitute for what can only be obtained from a relationship with the King of Kings. There is no substitute. We need Jesus.


There will come a day when my children will not depend on me and The Professor for their survival. They will get jobs, earn money, and grow families of their own. I pray that they will always want me and their daddy in their lives, but unless something unthinkable happens to their physical and mental faculties, they won’t need us. In fact, it is God’s design that they won’t need us.


But I…I will always need my Jesus. And that too, is by design.


But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7





21 comments:

Amy said...

That was a beautiful post....It really struck me this morning. As I was doing our budget for the upcoming month, I was overwhelmed, because of the amount of bills versus the amount of income coming in. With the prices of everything rising in addition to all of my surgery bills coming in, I was overwhelmed.....I thought to myself, "We need more money....or the next few months could be really tough."......Then it dawned on me.....I'm not supposed to be worried over next months needs.....I am only supposed to be concerned with today's....Today's needs are the only ones that we need right now.

Matthew 6:11 says,
"Give us today our daily bread."

It says today's...not next months.:)

I know that we do have to plan and be prepared, but I have to trust and have faith in Jesus each day....not just a month ahead.....

Thank you for this reminder today of "needs" versus "wants."

God Bless,
Amy:)

Sarah@Life in the Parsonage said...

I needed this this morning, thank you :)

Gretchen said...

Okay...getting a little irritated here at how amazing your posts always are...jealous.

repenting. For we do need Jesus.

And I'm so glad he sent me you.

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

Gretchen--Please don't get creeped out at me saying this, but I just love you! I love everyone who reads and comments on this blog, but if they gave awards to uplifting commentors, girl,you'd have a loaded mantle. :-) Funny you mentioned jealousy (I know you were just teasing) because I am currently working on a post about jealousy and how I've been having to keep it in check in my life!

Unknown said...

Well said and so true! Thank you :)

Anne Elizabeth said...

I REALLY needed to be reminded of this truth today!

Kimberly said...

Raising my hand...YES, I soooo need Jesus! :)

Sometimes I feel bad because I can't get my life together, but then God reminds me that I never will. I will ALWAYS be in need of my Savior, and that's okay! :)

Lena said...

I needed to hear this today- thanks for sharing :)

Julie said...

I LOVED this.....

As usual your words paint a picture of such beauty.

Thanks for allowing us a window into your soul!

Hugs,
Julie

PS. I second the comment about Gretchen. She's an awesome encourager!

Shannon said...

Great post. I know the truth but my mortal mind wants to buck the reality. I am praying that one of these days I will fully submit and give up the fight...for good. Thanks for your beautiful words.

bp said...

That's true...."denial cannot change reality."

I enjoyed this. Have a good day.

Ronel said...

Angela,
This is an amazing post and such a great reminder of what we truly need. I am in a place right now where I am learning I don't need certain people in my life bc I have one true person supporting and encouraging me.

Thank you so much for sharing!!

Blessings,
Mrs. S

Tracy said...

amen to that - it is my daily prayer that I will NOT forget that need! & that I will instill that very need into my girls' lives.

Kelly said...

We all have a God-sized hole in our heart that can only be filled by one thig...God. Yup, we all need Jesus!

Mindy said...

Lovely message. i sure wish the graffiti in my neighborhood said that! Mixing up wants and needs is a common trap we all fall into and it's in trying to meet those false need that we often stumble off the path.

Joy Junktion said...

Another amazing post that cuts straight to the heart.
We need Jesus ~ sometimes we need to be reminded of that simple fact.
You posts always relay a great message to the body of Christ.
Blessings, Cindy

Wendi@EveryDayMiracles said...

Angela,
The 'iron sharpening iron' quality to your words never ceaases to amaze me. I read it in other commentors notes to you and I feel it in my own heart as I read: "This was meant for me right now. God used your words to speak truth to my heart. I really needed this today".
I'll be interested to read what you are writing about jealousy. Big evil joy stealing green monster in my life... :)

Karen Hossink said...

We need Him, and that is by design. Yes!!!
This thought has been firming in my mind in recent days as I am praying for a couple individuals who are very ill. I was pleading with God for their health, telling Him how desperate these people are for His touch - how they cannot make it without Him. And then I confessed, none of us - "healthy" as we may be - can make it without Him.
We NEED Him. Yes, we do. Amen, sister!

Genny said...

Angela,
This reminds me of one time when I was driving home from my sister's house and I saw up on a hill, mowed in the grass, "Jesus Saves". I cried the whole way home because it was at a time in my life I really needed to be reminded of that!

Unknown said...

Thank you for this beautiful post! I am pregnant & expecting our third child in February. My other two are 11 and 8. I worked part-time while my oldest was a baby, but full-time when my 8 year old was born. Now that they have both been in school-I only work during school hours. I have been struggling with REALLY wanting to be a SAHM full-time, but terrified of how hard that will be for us financially. Your blog really hit home on this subject & reminds me that there are "wants" that we can do without...but our "needs" will always be provided to us. Thanks for that.

Also, I really like your blog, so I added it to my blogroll. That way I can check it often!! I hope thats okay!

bethany@sippinsweetteablog said...

So, so true! How can we forget something so obvious? We need Him every single moment, no matter if we think we're all grown up and independent or not.

You have such a gift for conveying truth in understandable and heart-reaching ways.

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