What Does God Ask Of Us?

God has no needs that we can fulfill

Does God need sacrifices? Praise? Worship? Giving and tithes? Be at church? Service to God? No. God has no actual needs. If anything can be defined as a need it is that we love each other. Any law that we observe, such as the Ten Commandments (natural laws) given to the Hebrews, is for us, not God.

The two injured people helping each other out. Harsha K R on Flickr — The two injured people helping each other out.
Harsha K R on Flickr

Verses on what God wants

““If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains.” – Psalm 50:12 (NASB)

“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.” – Leviticus 19:18 (NASB)

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” – Deuteronomy 6: 4,5 (NASB)

Apostle Paul: “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;” – Acts 17: 24,25

“Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath ….”” – Mark 2:27–28

Getting Perspective

When we turn things around and think somehow the things we are doing is to please god, we have it backwards. God’s love is all about us. We’re to love God, absolutely, which is all about following the ways he has shown us about how to treat others.

Takeaway

We should not assign human needs or characteristics to God (anthropomorphism). God may get angry at misbehavior that continues, just as humans do (righteous wrath), but the creator of the universe has no needs. God doesn’t need us to serve, except to serve others in their need, whether that need is physical or spiritual.

It’s God’s creation, people, who have needs.