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The thought recently came to me that we are all needy people. Some of us are not aware of the needs we have.

Our primary need is that of salvation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV) Each of us needs the LORD to save us from our sins. Without the LORD in our hearts, we all deserve to go to Hades. Yes, we sometimes make decisions that are not wise. However, God loves us even then, all we have to do is admit our sin and ask His forgiveness.

Another need we, as humans have, is discipline. “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” (Revelation 3:19, ESV) God wants us to spend time with Him in prayer and in studying His Word. We have to set a time for these activities. Because I write, my Bible study time blends in with my writing time. I find the best time for me to pray, read and study my Bible is in the mornings before a lot of household activity begins.

Due to our humanity, we need rest- physical and spiritual. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29, ESV) I am learning how to gauge my evening entertainment watching television and playing games on my tablet. I find I get more sleep and better rest when I read a book for 30 minutes before I finally turn in. If I sleep in, I find myself out of sorts. I used to feel I had to rush through things to keep up with my mental “to-do” list. I have decided that all these activities and schedules are in God’s hands.

We also need good interaction with others. We call that fellowship. “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17, ESV) Because I pursue the craft of writing, I treasure my solitude. However, I also realize the need for interaction with others. When I go to the pharmacy, I take the time to ask this one worker about how her husband’s small business is going. The others, once I get to know them especially if it’s near a holiday, I ask if they have to work on that day. If it’s a store that I seldom frequent, I might tell the cashier handling my transaction, “Thank you.” At the grocery store, I try to tell them to “be blessed.” As needy as we are, these workers need to feel appreciated.

God will guide us, His children, through our needs. His Word promises us that.

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

The Curse is Gone