A POWERFUL COMBINATION

It feels wonderful to be needed. There is satisfaction in knowing that we make a difference to someone else. What power the words, “I need you” have. Those words have even more power when we consider that they also apply to God. Yes, God needing us. Not in the sense of God’s capacity to exist and function. Rather, we are needed by God as means for bringing the Good News of his love to the world.

God has relied on human beings to communicate important messages to humanity throughout salvation history. This was the specific role of Amos and the other prophets of the Old Testament. God chose them to call the people to accountability for their destructive and sinful actions. These were often messages the people did not want to hear. In the case of Amos, he was told by a priest of Bethal to leave the country and go prophesy somewhere else (Amos 7:12-15). Amos was not intimidated by such rebukes and stood his ground because he knew that Gold was relying on him. God needed him.

The awesome fact of God’s need for us is recounted in the Gospel as Jesus sends out the disciples two by two to preach to others about their need for God (Mark 6:7-13). In sending them, they are reminded they need very little (a walking stick and some sandals). What they truly need is to rely on him, especially in the midst of the push back they may get from the people they are trying to help. He sent them two by two to remind them that, while relying on him, they also needed each other for encouragement, support, comfort, forgiveness and healing.

There are a lot of people out there who need us, too. An elderly person living alone who could use a visit. A family in financial trouble, a friend who is wasting away on drugs or alcohol, a guilt ridden person who does not know God’s forgiveness, people who have no shelter or sustenance, those living on the margins of ridicule or misunderstanding. We are needed by people who need to know God loves them.

We rely on God and God relies on us. Now there is a powerful combination.

Together in faith,

Very Rev. Christopher Smith, Rector