Sticking to the subject

Click here to hear a sample of "You Don't Need Me"
http://www.derekmctavish.com/audio/Derek%20McTavish/I%20Will%20Not%20Be%20Satisfied/Derek%20McTavish%20-%20you%20don%27t%20need%20me.mp3

Since I gave this blog the title I did, I'll talk about it some more. The concept of God not needing me is arresting. Now I know, if you were to ask whether the Creator of the Universe needed some human, I would quickly say no. But I've eaten from the table of 'God needs you on his team' for too long. What's arresting about the thought of God not needing me is that it makes me evaluate my motivation for serving him.

I read someone's blog recently. "I hate morning television. It's either telling me . . . or it's telling me I should go to church." So I could serve him because 'I ought to' or feel guilty if I don't. Get this email I was sent the other day.

Drug Problem Conversation between two old fellows:

<><>The other day, someone at the co-op read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farm house in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, "Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up, Milo?" <>
It just so happened that I had saved something that had been E-mailed to me a few weeks ago. So, I printed off a copy and took it to him the next day. I smiled when I handed it to him and said, "I did have a drug problem when I was a kid growing up on the farm in southwest Kansas."

<> <>Here's what the sheet said: "I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather. I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults and teachers. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's soybean fields. <>
Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack or heroin, and if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America might be a better place today."

AMEN!!!

But then something happened after the 50s. Everyone started resenting being drug to church. Maybe it's because the church forgot to tell people that God wanted something more than for them to sit through a boring service. And, no, it wasn't that he needed what they had to offer, either. Somewhere along the way, we forgot that God was inviting us to come along for the ride of our lives, that serving him meant signing up to be his apprentice. Hmmmm. Apprenticeship. Maybe that's a better picture. Because we forgot that God has something for us that we are missing out on if we don't get on board.