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Can you tell me anything that God needs? Really, can you tell me one need of God? One at all?
Does He need you?
Does He need you to spread the gospel?
Does He need you to do His work?
Does He need you, so that He can love others through you?
Does He need your money?
Does He need you to give to the poor?
Does He need others to give to you, if you are poor?
Does He need you to witness to others about Him?
Does He need you to fulfill your part in the body of Christ?
Does He need you to serve Him?
Does He need you to worship Him?
Here's part of what Paul proclaimed to the people of Athens when he found an altar with the inscription, "To the unknown god."
24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' 29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone-an image made by man's design and skill. (Acts 17:24-29)
I just wanted to add a couple of things.
ReplyDelete1) The reason I'm leaving this as it is is not because it's a complete message! In fact, many questions are asked and I'm just wondering what thoughts anyone might have, both within the context of the quoted passage of scripture and also any other thoughts you might have.
2) The key word in the questions is "need."
Joel, an interesting question. The thought I had is that God is love so he needs an object on which to shower his love.
ReplyDeleteThe scripture you posted talks about his not needing us to serve him. Obviously, he doesn't need us to do anything for him since he's proven he can do it by himself, if necessary, He has, however, chosen to work through us so he allows us to be involved in what he's doing.
For example, Saturday, I hired my eight year old granddaughter to help me clean my house. After we finished, I took her out for lunch and paid her for her labors. (She's a good little worker.) I could have done it by myself but it was a great relationship building time.
I think it's the same with our relationship with Father. He could probably do it better if we weren't involved but he wants the relationship so he allows us to be involved.
As I said, since he's love, he needs an object to receive his love so maybe that's the answer or maybe I've just confused things further.
Aida
Aida... I don't think you confused things at all. I always welcome your input!
ReplyDeleteI've come from a different perspective for some time now, as far as God and His love, but I'm always being refined in my understanding so this is not necessarily my final answer. :) The way I see things right now, I understand God to be sufficient and complete in and of Himself. In other words the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have a relationship within themselves that is a completely sufficient and complete love relationship that needs no other object on which to display love. Again, the key word is "needs." :)
I do believe that He created us in His image, although we died to that at the fall. But after He restored us through Christ, He made us to be partakers of His divine nature. It's not that He needs us (to serve Him or to show His love to us), but it's that He is part of us and we are part of Him.
I do like your story about your granddaughter. I do the same thing with my kids, and I think they get great joy in helping daddy and mommy out. I would say, however, that the example - in my current understanding of things - is not the same as our Father using us. He has joined Himself with us. The work that He does in and through us is His very work, so it is perfect work. The love that He gives is a natural part of the union we have with Him.
Interesting discussion here, and I value any and all thoughts.
Joel, I love conversations like this. The Bible says that iron sharpens iron and I believe that takes place as we share truth as we understand it.
ReplyDeleteYou made some great points and are really challenging my thinking. Maybe a better word for Father's relationship with us would be "desire" or "want." He wants or desires a relationship with us.
What came to mind as I read your comment is that, when somone has a need, they will do whatever is necessary to fulfill that need including manipulation and control. Any relationship that is built on indivudual needs will end up being unhealthy with the stronger tending to dominate the weaker in order to get their needs met. This always results in the weaker partner feeling frustrated as their needs are left unmet. We call this a dysfunctional relationship.
If Father's relationship with us is based on any need on his part, it will eventually deteriorate as he uses us to meet his need. Maybe that's why it's been so hard for people to develop a relationship with him. Even though they pray "use me, Lord," there's an underlying feeling of abuse because we think it's all about him and we're not important. That worm in the dust Old Testament way of thinking.
"He has joined Himself with us. The work that He does in and through us is His very work, so it is perfect work. The love that He gives is a natural part of the union we have with Him."
Great point. Sometimes it's hard to come up with an analogy of our relationship with him. They don't always give a clear picture.
Wow!! I sure have taken this conversation way off topic but I'm finding it helpful to work through this with you. What you've said has been very helpful.
Aida