(Further reflections on “Needs”—Sunday 30-April-2023)
We learned that a lame man (Acts 3:1-10) seemed to know and focus on what he felt about his daily need, that is, begging for alms/money. He got what he wanted most of the time. So, he didn’t know what he really needs, that is, to be able to rise and walk, until Jesus’ disciples, Peter and John, approached him and spoke the Word in the name of Jesus. This led to a miraculous healing. Because of what he received, it gave him a kind of a ‘permit’ to enter the temple to do what he really needs, that is, praising and worshipping God. His real need was met by the spoken Word and all his felt needs were also met beyond his wildest dreams or any expectation.
There is another story (2 Samuel 23:13-17) about David and his mighty men who were in a battle with the Philistines. Although we have no record that David was trained as a “water sommelier” (water-tasting expert), apparently his “felt need” of wanting to have the high quality (‘Fiji/Evian’-like) water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem (which was the Philistine's garrison with full artillery) seemed to suggest so! It’s likely that David wasn’t aware of his felt need, or perhaps was blinded by it, which could cost the life of his men. Amazingly and unthinkably, the three mighty warriors (yes, just three) broke through the enemy line and drew water from the exact location of David’s request and brought it back to him. Now at this point, it was likely that David’s sense of spirituality came back, seeing the carnality of his felt need though on the surface, he didn’t see anything wrong with that. Thus, David refused to drink and poured it out before the Lord. He cried out to the Lord, “Far be it from me, LORD, to do this! Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” This was an act of worship, which is perhaps the real need of David and his mighty warriors who were facing powerful enemy.
Like the lame man and David, we all are prone to focus on our felt needs, which oftentimes cripples and blinds us from reaching and seeing the real needs. As a result, we will either ‘beg’ or ‘demand’ our felt needs to be met by something/someone outside of Jesus. When this happens, we don’t even know our real needs, so they are unlikely to be met. And one of the common ‘symptoms’ is feeling empty even though all of the daily physical needs are met. If this prolongs, boredom and lethargy creep in and we will eventually become ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ spiritually and have no need of hearing Jesus and His word. Though there is nothing is wrong with our felt needs, let us watch out for it for they could cripple and blind us from reaching and seeing our real need, which can only be met in Christ Jesus. — Pastor Lap
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