"I remember one of the most shameful moments of my spiritual life, hiking in East Asia going in and out of unreached villages with Gospel literature trying not to get caught, a tough trip, a grueling trip. And we'd set up camp one night, [there was a] little bit of daylight left so I went off by myself to read for a couple of minutes. I had a copy of Tozer's Knowledge of the Holy with me and I sat down. I looked across the countryside, I thought about our hard day of hiking in this difficult area and the thought that came to my mind was 'God must be glad to have me on His team.' And I opened up Tozer's book where I just so happened to be on the chapter dealing with the self sufficiency of God and Tozer said to me:
'Almighty God just because He is all mighty needs no support. The picture of a nervous and graciating God fawning over men to win their favor is not a pleasant one yet if we look at the popular conception of God that is precisely what we see. Twentieth century Christianity has put God on charity, so lofty is our opinion of ourselves that we find it quite easy not to say enjoyable to believe that we are necessary to God. Probably the hardest thought of all for our natural egotism to entertain is that God does not need our help. We commonly represent Him as a busy, eager, somewhat frustrated Father hurrying about seeking help to carry out His benevolent plan to bring peace and salvation to the world. Too many missionary appeals are based upon this fancy frustration of Almighty God. An effective speaker can easily excite pity in his hearers not only for the heathen but for the God who has tried so hard and so long to save them and has failed for want of support. I fear that thousands of younger persons enter Christian service for no higher motive than to help deliver God from the embarrassing situation His love has gotten Him into and His limited abilities seem unable to get Him out of. Add to this a certain degree of commendable idealism and a fair amount of compassion for the underprivileged and you have the true drive behind much Christian activity today.'
Brothers and sisters let me remind us from the start God does not need us... He does not need you, He does not need me. He does not need your specific church or my specific church... Every one of us, every one of our churches... all our denominations and our associations could drop dead and turn to dust and God will still make a great name for Himself among the nations. God involves us in His mission, not because He needs us but because He loves us and in His mercy He has invited us to be involved in His sovereign design for the spread of the Gospel to the ends of the earth..."
~ David Platt
Divine Sovereignty: The Fuel of Death-Defying Missions
HT: Liyah McDonnell