BASIC WORD "GOD'S NEED"

                                                                           GOD’S NEED

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:16-17 ; 15:3-4 , 8 , 20-24 ; Matt. 22:1-3

Luke 14:17 says, “Come, for all things are now ready.” This is a declaration of God in the universe: “Come, for all things are now ready.” This is a precious utterance. The words come and ready refer to both God and us. God is ready, but we need to come. I hope that we all can recite this sentence: “Come, for all things are now ready.”

                                        MAN HAVING FEELINGS ONLY FOR HIS NEED

Today it is not my intention to preach the word or to study the Bible; I only desire to give a testimony. The Lord in His grace has led me in my living and work to see, understand, and live according to one matter. Therefore, I am happy and willing to testify concerning this matter, which the Lord has enabled me to see, obtain, enter into, and enjoy.

I want to speak of God’s need. When I first began to work for God, I did not see God’s need; I saw only man’s need. It is easy to understand that man has needs, but do we have a sense of God’s need? For example, preachers pay attention to man’s need when they speak of the salvation that is available for sinners. Their speaking is based on the thought that human beings have failed and are in need of victory over sin or that human beings are indifferent and in need of encouragement. In addition, they also speak of man’s need for power, love, faithfulness, holiness, vigor, and so forth. Even when we receive light in reading the Word or in listening to messages, our light almost always relates to man’s need.

Consequently, since our heart is focused on man’s need, our eyes see only man’s need. It is easy for us to see that people are cold and indifferent and that they are not filled with the Holy Spirit. It is also easy for us to see the need to preach the Word. It is not uncommon for a preacher to say, “The harvest is ripe, but the workers are few. There are so many people in need of salvation! These human souls are precious. I cannot bear to see them being cast into the lake of fire. Therefore, I need to preach.” Everywhere I go, I meet people who say, “We are weak, and we have many failures. We need you to come and help us.” This shows that our focus is on man’s need.

                                                               GOD HAVING A NEED

Today by the Lord’s grace we need to turn our eyes from the earth to heaven to see a need that is immensely greater than man’s need—God’s need. Without seeing God’s need, it is difficult for people who do not have a sense of need to be saved. Furthermore, without seeing God’s need, it is difficult for those who are saved to have a heavenly living or to obtain power and faith. May these words lead us to see the need on God’s side so that our attention can be shifted from man to God.

                                               God’s Need Being Greater Than Man’s Need

Some may ask, “Who has a greater need in the universe, man or God?” The Bible shows that God’s need is primary, whereas man’s need is secondary. Let us compare and see who has a greater need.

We know that sinners need salvation, but have we ever considered that salvation needs sinners? Yes, sinners need salvation, but salvation needs sinners. We often say that a certain person needs the power of the Holy Spirit, but conversely, we should ask, “Does not the power of the Holy Spirit need a person?” Likewise, many people think that a wandering son needs his father, but very few think that the father needs his wandering son to return.

In Luke 15 there is a story of the prodigal son whose garment was worn and who was hungry, thirsty, and filthy. In response to these needs his father prepared the best robe, a ring, sandals, and a feast of a fattened calf. Still I would ask, “Whose need was greater—the son’s or the father’s?” The son was not happy without his father, but the father was not happy without his son. Those who know God would say that the father had a greater need. When the prodigal son returned home, there was a robe waiting for him. The son was not even expecting the robe. When the son returned, he said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (v. 21). Without waiting for the son to finish his speaking, the father said to his slaves, “Bring out quickly the best robe and put it on him” (v. 22). The word the in verse 22 is precious because it shows that a robe was prepared by the father and was waiting for the son. While the father was preparing the robe, perhaps he said, “I have made a robe for my older son, but I have to make another robe, which will be the best robe, because my younger son is wandering outside and has not returned.”

The father did not even have to tell the slaves where to find the robe. The father only said, “Bring out quickly the best robe.” It seems as if the slaves knew where to find the robe because everyone knew that the father had prepared a robe, the best robe, for his son. This is the reason I say that it was the robe that was waiting for the son, not the son who was waiting for the robe. This speaks of the father’s need, not the son’s need. We should not see merely man’s need; we need to see God’s need even more. We all need to go and cry out to the world, “God needs man!”