God’s unconditional love is sufficient for me. All I need is God’s unconditional love. Scholars like to define Grace as unmerited favor. That is really nice and academic. But it still had a connotation of the old not worthy wretch belief. I much prefer unconditional love. This definition does not have the tint of unworthiness to it. It says love is yours and needs not be earned. The other says love is yours although you don’t deserve it. Unconditional love is not concerned with whether or not it is earned. It says, you are deserving of my love. My love is not based on your actions, you do not have to earn it. You have it, no matter what. You can never lose it. There are no conditions placed on my love. I love you because you are. You exist, therefor I love you. As a result of this love, we are provided everything we will ever need. Hence, what is there left for me to want? What is there that is in need of fixing? God’s grace is sufficient for me. I have no wants nor do I have needs because God’s unconditional love has already laid the path for me and provided all that I need along this path. The Lord is my Sheppard I shall not want.
So where do our wants come from? Madison Avenue and societal pressures. We are bombarded each day with ads of all sorts. Be it television, billboards, web pages, or even the so called news shows. We are constantly being told that our lives are incomplete and that we need this product or that service to “fix” us. If not fix us, to enhance our existence. When you see an ad, pay attention to the subtle messages. In order to sell you a product I have to convince you that you need it. In many cases that means playing to your insecurities. Shy with women? The beer commercial tells you all you have to do is drink a certain brand of beer and the women will flock to you. Feeling unattractive? Well just use this make up and you are transformed into a sexy goddess. Just watch how your husband is looking at the woman in this ad. Use this product and he will look at you like that again. Television news shows display mainly stories to arouse your sense of fear. Watch the news and you will hear, IS is going to kill us all. Or you will hear, climate change will doom us all, or the Republicans or Democrats have diabolical plans to ruin our country. Fear!!! Fear is one of the greatest sales tools ever discovered. Studies have shown that people who feel fear are more apt to buy products to try and distract them from the fear. Hence it becomes more challenging to apply the “I shall not want” half of the “Lord is my Sheppard” equation. We are constantly being told to want. So what is the solution?
Give us this day our daily bread. God provide for me today that which is needed for me to be what you intend for me to be today. No more no less. I set forward on a new and wonderful adventure called today. I am provided with everything that is required to be the light I am meant to be today. I have no wants. I have no needs. God’s grace is sufficient for me. God is all I need. I am loved unconditionally, what else do I need?
