NEED VERSES HEED

Life does not always make sense it seems. No matter how hard we wished it would. And following the path of faith doesn’t improve that reality either. The fact is there are just too many random things about life that are left to chance. We can diminish the problem to a degree, never completely purge live of the variables.

Need is almost a form of language at times. It isn’t hard to appreciate how things such as food, shelter and even air are essential to life. Then after obtaining those things we always have our different other issues that are necessary to survival, but we still regard as need.

Where problems arises for me is that our view of need may at times conflict with God’s will. He does know our needs better than we do, but at the same time he also is aware of our higher needs. Those that bring us into eternity and will be with us at that point.

For practical minds having not spiritual yearnings, that type of heed to the Lord’s spirit will elude their thinking. They can never understand or appreciate the call in the soul to do what God wants just because it serves his purposes and in no way applies to feeding our stomachs.

Indirectly, anything of a spiritual nature has that form of element. But whereas pursuing some intangible that applies to touching our soul may achieve some benefit to us, if God isn’t in the center then it lacks the higher purpose of heed.

So at times, for the pilgrim of faith this all means traveling where others would think it hazardous and pointless. They will regard such travels to deserts of testing where our physical needs may not always be satisfied as something bizarre or without merit.

When such practical minds do find themselves in the confines of a temple or house of worship they often filter the divine message through a more “affordable” theology. Meaning they conform God to their image other than heeding to his will.

If such minds dominate the ebb and flow of a church it will often be cold and uninviting. For it will lack the flame of spiritual life that only comes from heeding to God’s will. Then Jesus in such situations becomes merely an image. He is a savior of convenience as opposed to both Lord and Savior.

Such people sit in the splendor of their self-righteousness, content they are superior and will be in Heaven as a reward. Faith is the simple act in their minds of believing. It has no passion or real risk, just conformity.

But for the listening soul who will do as God commands, heeding will always take priority over need. Just as the model our that our Lord and Savior gave to us with his life. And in that knowledge we can face each new dawn, alive with the joy that it leads to eternity and not more bank accounts where the pocket book is the secret god of one’s desires.