Are We Too Needy?

I realise I have to write shorter articles; otherwise I'm just not going to keep this blog going. So here's what I'm thinking: I've noticed one or two songs expressing our desperation for God and, somehow, it just doesn't sit right with me. Desperation suggests being at the end of your tether and while its good that we recognise our dependence on God for everything this is surely not a healthy state to be in permanently. Let's say you have become unemployed or suffered an injury that leaves you unable to work. You then become dependent on benefits. So long as the benefits come in on time and are meeting your basic needs you shouldn't be desperate. It might make you realise how dependent you are if a payment should be delayed a few days but this wouldn't be how anyone would expect to live.

Life is relatively easy in our country and that can make us lazy in that most of us know where our next meal is going to come from. We can be open about our faith because we're not likely to be punished for what we believe. That's not true in other countries. Many Christians are indeed desperate and look to God to save them from imminent danger. We have needs those Christians don't have. We need to be more conscious of a generous, life giving God who meets all our needs. But generally we have no need to be desperate. Is this desperation really a cry for meaning and purpose in our cosy and apathetic state? Jesus told us that his kingdom is near and among us. Indeed, where two or three gather together he is there. So why are we desperate? We have his presence and an over-abundance of gifts. We are either ungrateful or self obsessed.

The Apostle Paul said he was content in all circumstances, whether he had much or nothing. When he was poor he didn't cry out to God to make him rich and when he was comfortable he didn't ask God to make him uncomfortable. He knew where he stood with God and where God stood with him. In his letter to the Ephesians he prayed that they would know the unbelievable riches they had in Christ. They didn't need to plead with God to make their lives better; they needed to understand that everything they required was within their grasp.

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