“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”-2 Corinthians 4:17-18
There is a vast difference between need and want; yet they are often used interchangeably. We need water. We need shelter, we need food. These necessities are essential to our survival. Want is born from our lust and desires. We want a new car, new shoes; dinner….and dessert. Wants, like needs, are driven by our lack of something, someone, or something; however, we can do without our wants. Need is essential.
Our daughter is five years old. She has not yet learned the difference between needs and wants. It’s a lifelong lesson, so she has some time. A quick visit to Target and she comes across a variety of “needs.” Who knew she was so deprived; needs food (candy), clothing (new shoes), enlightenment (), the list goes on and on. It is difficult for people to separate needs from wants. We lack the necessary perspective to differentiate. She cannot understand or enumerate the nutrition she needs in her diet. She cannot see that summer is coming and a new pair of boots is frivolous. That integrity, diligence, honesty, and creativity are far more valuable than Disney merchandise. Her true needs are unknown to her, moreover, how to meet them. I am not picking on her, we are the same way. We want God to meet all our wants, that we perceive as needs, because we lack the perspective our heavenly Father has. If the goal is heaven, and it is, that dramatically changes what is essential in our lives. The need for salvation, sanctification, righteousness, are paramount. The desire to be like Jesus should take precedent. Even suffering, pain, loss, become essential to us. The same with joy, happiness, and blessings. They are all working together for good. Pressure on the clay from the Potters hand, if you will. Shaping us, molding us, crafting us. A work to try and bring us into the conformed image of Christ. You cannot serve God on the basis that he will supply your every want, because our wants rise and fall with our desire. It is God’s design that we desire Him, and His Son Jesus. How often does this world ensnare us and tempt us to carnal desires? To spend and be spent for temporary things of little value. Under the guise of: “we need it.” Furthermore, to shape our thoughts about God to meet our needs and wants. Like a toddler, we may view our wants as needs, all the while unaware of our true need. If this should happen, God is now public enemy number one when troublesome times come because: “why would God allow this to happen to me?” “Why would God cause my health to fail, or child to die, house to burn, etc.?” “How is this meeting my needs?” Still further, the hordes of false preachers come alongside this perceived “need” of ours to sooth us with flattering words, and fine speech. Bathed us in comfortable theology until we become paralyzed and drown in it. If you can only see God when he blesses you then you have poor eyesight. Like Job, we must gaze upon the Lord regardless, because he’s worthy.
The great need of humanity is to believe, love, and obey God and His Christ. To serve. To live holy, and desire God. In doing so, we find redemption, peace, and entrance into heaven. He is our heavenly Father, not our heavenly Grandfather. His grand design for his creation is far above this natural world. It is that we might be sanctified, be holy, and wholly conformed to the image of his Son. To love God and love one another. That we might live with Him in heaven.
