Does God Need Me?
By Mike Rule

Why do I think that God' s working through me has something to do with me? I tend to believe that if God is working in and through me it is because of something that I have done. I must have prayed right. I must have been obedient enough. I must have read or memorized enough scripture. And if I think He is not working in and through me, then it must be because I DID NOT do something. I did not study scripture enough. I did not pray enough. I did not pray right. I was not obedient enough.

The impact of this is staggering. It leads me to ask the question: Do I really think God needs me or anyone else to accomplish His work? If I am honest, I do believe God needs me to accomplish His work. That is not the truth, but in my heart I believe it is. I can prove it. All I need to do is to ask myself, "Why do I study scripture and pray?" If I study and pray to get right with God then I am thinking God needs something from me in order for Him to work and I have just slipped into legalism.

I am finding there is a greater significance to being wanted by God than in being needed by Him. To be needed implies that God is incomplete. To be wanted means that He is totally complete and secure within Himself. He needs nothing and is not dependent upon anything outside of Himself. This is staggering because it is this God who truly desires us! He has not given us His word to find Him; it is His way of finding us! Scripture is a testimony over 6000 years of what God has done in the lives of others and what He desires to do in us! Scripture is for our benefit, not His! Because we are in Christ, His commands are no longer commands to us; they are His promises to us! His word shows us what our lives look like under the ruling presence of Christ.

We do not have a needy God! He is complete and He is lacking in nothing. So the real challenge is this: Have you had the revelation of just how much Jesus wants you?