I once read that, if you think you are leading and no one is following, then you’re really just taking a walk. In order to be a leader, there must be followers. God, however, does not need people in order to be God. He is God with or without us. That concept is one of the first lessons in Big Truths for Young Hearts. This is a devotional that we did with our children and, then, with our small group. Because, honestly, older hearts need to be reminded of big truths.
In the beginning God… – Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, there was God and it was good. He wasn’t bored. He wasn’t lonely. There was nothing in him that was lacking. People who believe that we were created because God had some holy need make me laugh. As if we {broken, fallible, struggling} could somehow complete an all knowing, all powerful, ever existing God. So, why create us? Because it pleased him to do so.
God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. – Genesis 1:31
God created you, not out of any sort of need, but for his pleasure. Your very presence pleases him.
I did not have my children because I needed them to do something for me. Am I hoping they will care for me when I’m old? Sure. Will I, if necessary, remind them of every diaper change and middle of the night vomiting episode? Absolutely. But, at the heart of it all, I chose to stretch my body and heart six times because it pleased me to do so. Their very presence is a gift.
I see my daughter come running into the house and, because I know her, I know what she has hidden behind her back. I see the smile on her face. I hurry, with joy, to put those sad looking weeds in a cup of water and I display them proudly on the window sill. It doesn’t matter that they are weeds and not flowers. I know that the desire of her heart was to bring me something of beauty that would put a smile on my face. It is the same with God.
He sees us come running to him and, because he knows us, he knows what we bring. And it pleases him when our heart’s desire is to bring him something of beauty. Yes, sometimes, all we have to offer are weeds. Our failures. Our mistakes. Our hurts. We offer them up to him and he is never ashamed. While the weeds on my window sill are not going to suddenly become flowers, our brokenness becomes beauty when we offer it up to God.
No, God did not need us. He wanted us. And that is even better.
