“God is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” (Acts 17:25)
Heavenly Father, this is a glorious and freeing verse from your Word. I was taught as a child to be a nice boy because you are always watching. I was also taught that you needed my help in the world, so I should always be helpful to others. Though the adults in my life were well-intending, they really misrepresented you and the Gospel. To say you need my help is like saying…
- Paul McCartney needs my help with finishing a song
- Yo-Yo Ma needs me to re-string and tune his cello
- Ronaldo needs me to take a penalty kick for him
- Michael McDonald needs me to take his place with the Doobie Brothers
- Alain Ducasse needs me to fill in for him at a French gala
- Stephen Spielberg needs me to edit his new movie
- Warren Buffett needs my advice on a few investments
All of these things are laughable, right? But here’s the truth and it’s no laughing matter. In fact, it is humbling, hard to believe, and heart staggering. You don’t need our help, Father. You love, desire, and delight in us. We’re not a means to any end for you, but you have given us a chief end which is to “glorify you and enjoy you forever”—to know and love you with everything we have and are.
We do that the best not by being nice, but being needy, so needy that Jesus becomes our entire “righteousness, holiness, and redemption”—our very life and reason for being (1Cor.1:30; Col.3:1-4).
Abba, what we do matters and work itself has profound meaning as an expression of your image in us, the life of Eden, and the Gospel. For we are your “workmanship and masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which you prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph.2:19). Thank you for not needing us but passionately loving us. So Very Amen.
