No Need
Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 48-50
Key verses: Psalm 50:9-12
Every now and then it’s good to remind ourselves that God doesn’t need us.
Now, before you think I am suggesting God doesn’t care about us – let me explain.
I simply mean that we need to keep things in perspective. God, the Creator and Sustainer of everything, must – by definition – not need anything. When we look around at the incredible beauty and fullness of creation; the great, creative variety of creation – well, that makes the case pretty well. Surely the God who started all that in motion – and keeps it in motion – must be capable of providing for Himself anything He desires.
And, while we often take great satisfaction in all the great things we have “created” – surely a more humble approach is to recognize that without God giving us breath to begin with – well – where would we be then? Better to admit that God has gifted us with our very lives; and then with our talents – whatever they might be – which in turn we use for good or ill.
On the other hand, even though God doesn’t “need” us – the scriptures make it clear he delights in us, His creation, just the same.
God desires – above all – relationship with us. The God who is love – craves love, freely offered, to Him.
He doesn’t want robots or puppets on a string. He wants free creatures to claim and relish their relationship with Him as their heavenly father.
So, let’s be humble enough to realize that God doesn’t need us to acknowledge Him as our “co-pilot”. He is the pilot after all – if anyone is riding second seat, it’s us.
On the other hand – how wonderful – that he loves us enough to want to be in relationship with us, His creation, day in and day out.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your beautiful creation, of which I am a part. AMEN.
By Paul Simrell
The Reverend Paul W. Simrell has served for over thirty years in a variety of congregational and institutional settings. He is a recognized minister with standing in the Virginia region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada and is nationally endorsed by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for specialized ministry in both pastoral counseling and chaplaincy. Ordained in 1982, he has served congregations in Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and Virginia. He currently serves as the pastor of Elpis Christian Church, a small, historic congregation located just a few miles west of Richmond, Virginia. Elpis is the Greek word meaning “expectant hope.” He also serves on the associate clinical staff of the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care, Richmond, Virginia, both as a pastoral counselor and a ministerial assessment specialist, specializing in executive, clergy and relationship coaching. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and Lexington Theological Seminary and has done advanced clinical training in chaplaincy and pastoral counseling at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, Children’s Medical Center and Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas and the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care in Richmond, Virginia. He is a Certified Pastoral Counselor, an ACPE Practitioner, and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He is a Certified Facilitator of the Prepare-Enrich relationship assessment and skills-building program and served as a volunteer chaplain for over twenty years with the CJW Medical Center campuses in Richmond, Virginia. His avocational interests include playing the piano and drawing. He is very happily married to his wife Elizabeth Yeamans Simrell, a free-lance writer, who is also a Certified Facilitator for the Prepare-Enrich program.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
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