What have you found yourself wanting lately?

“I just need a month’s worth of groceries.”
“I just need to raise my grades to keep my scholarship.”
“I need a place to work to pay for rent.”
“I need to check in on my family to see if they are doing ok.”
“I need the coronavirus to just go away.”
“I need my roommate to pay me their share of the utilities.”
‘I need help figuring out my online classes.”

With all that is going on in the world right now and the uncertainty, disruption, and displacement the Coronavirus has caused, you may have found yourself saying or thinking one of the things above.

And are those good things? Yes. Are they needed on some level? Yes. I hope you aren’t neglecting grocery shopping to prove yourself!

But this is a good time to reflect on this question: What is my greatest need? And therefore, what should I be most focused on?

Our greatest need isn’t financial security. It isn’t relational connectedness or peace. It isn’t job/career stability. Our greatest need isn’t physical health and longevity.

Our greatest need? It is to find my ultimate joy wrapped up in Jesus. In knowing God. In being welcomed into the abundant and eternal life of the trinity through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus on my behalf.

My greatest need is to final my ultimate hope in the reality of the new creation. And that this is given to me at the costly love of Jesus.

Oh for this truth to awaken my soul each and every day. That the weight of sin and eternity in hell would wash over me.

That the extravagant and offensive gift of Jesus would stun me.

That the joy of intimacy with God would overwhelm me.

That my life would be one of grateful sacrifice for the good of those around me as an extension of this amazing, unfathomable mercy and grace.

That my pride would be cut down and my sin would be fought.

This is our greatest need. For Jesus to meet us in this way each and every day.

What kind of discipleship and evangelism would be birthed from this kind of a person or community?

What kind of generosity and love would be lavished on others because of this daily experience of God’s love for us?

George Mueller said it this way,

“According to my judgement the most important point to be attended to is this: above all things see to it that your souls are happy in the Lord.”

How can we cultivate this reality?

1) Open your Bible
Get to know the story that scripture is writing about humanity’s need for a rescuer. And that He has come, His name is Jesus. And he conquered not Rome and not with a sword. But he defeated sin/death/lies/hell through his unjust death on the cross.

As you get to know this story, let this story speak to you for today. Let it confront your sin as you see the sin of Israel. But let it give you hope that God didn’t leave them or you in your sin.

2) Give thanks each day
We deserve nothing from God. Life is a gift. Relationships are a gift. Your job is a gift. Your family is a gift. That junky car that barely works to get you to campus? Yep, that is a gift too.

Learn to change your perspective to see the good and bad in life as a gift from God. You didn’t earn it. Enjoy what you have and thank God for giving it to you.

3) Cry out to God
Beg and plead with him to open your eyes to the wonder of Jesus, to the miracle of new life by faith, to bring low your pride, to be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading to make you into a mature supercharged human who loves sacrificially like Jesus.

“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died” – 2 Corinthians 5:14