God Desires to be Needed

“But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.” (Ps 40:17 AV)

There is no shame in admitting our limitations to an almighty God.  In fact, it is rather foolish to think we have none.  David is overwhelmed by the constant barrage of the enemy.  It has worn him down.  That word ‘…needy…’ is particularly troublesome.  We use that term to describe an individual who is always asking for something.  He or she cannot, or will not, fend for themselves.  We use the term especially for those who could help themselves but refuse to.  Their real perceived need is emotional attention.  Thus, they play the hopeless victim so they gain attention more so than the physical need they may have.  To say that David was a ‘needy’ person in this sense is simply not true.  He exercised all available strength to endure through that which God placed him and served God with all his strength.  For David to say that he is needy means that he came to the end of his strength.  He had enough character to admit that he could do no more and desperately needed the LORD to intervene.  But it started with admitting his limits.

Several years ago, my shoulder was in serious pain.  It altered my personality.  It was weeks away from becoming frozen shoulder when my orthopedic surgeon went in and removed a bone spur that was three inches long and one inch thick.  Almost immediately I felt the difference.  When waking from anesthesia, I felt there was a chunk of something missing from my shoulder.  I have to admit.  I am a lousy patient.  The recovery was about six weeks long.  The first two were virtually unbearable.  However, being a man, I refused to admit that I needed help.  Off of pain meds within two days, I rushed myself through rehab and refused to take any assistance from my lovely wife.  That did not sit well with mother-in-law.  I have the best!  She is one of my sweetest and closest friends.  During one phone call, she lovingly rebuked me because she was made aware (I can’t imagine how) that I was not allowing my gracious wife to be a help to me.  I would not admit that I needed any help.  She, that is my mother-in-law reminded me that it was the ministry of a wife to be a help meet.  That my dear wife was being robbed of what made her what she was made to be.  I wouldn’t admit that I was needy.

We often suffer needlessly because we will not admit our limitations.  Specially as men.  We think we can conquer anything life throws at us.  We go on, not thinking for one moment that if we simply ask for help, we will get it.  Nope.  On we trudge because it is not manly to think we cannot do it all.  David lost all pride here.  He was willing to seek help and depend on the help that only God can give.  As men, we need to learn to swallow our pride and seek the assistance that is there.  Don’t play the martyr.  There are no rewards for those who manipulate martyrdom.  God is ready and willing to help.  All we need to do is admit that we need it and that without it, we cannot make it.  Then, and only then, will God come down.