happy valentines

How easy it is to look in the wrong places. To see ourselves with needs, psychological needs, as love cups that need filling. With expectations placed on others to fix us, to bring us all that we need we will always be dissapointed and we will always live in selfishness and shame.

Our need is not for other people. But to rightly understand God and how he sees us. To fear him; his holiness his awesomeness. And fall in love with his purity, his mercy, his grace.

Our need is to understand that we exist for God's glory and our relationships are to bring glory and to build his church. There is also great pleasure in loving and being loved. And that is delightful.

Also, how often, whilst accepting that when we come to Jesus we may not get rich materially, simulataneously expect that Jesus will make us emotionally well and happy by our undertsanding of 'how amazing God thinks we are'. There is a real flaw in that method We need that 'pyschological need' for approval smashed by the message of the gospel.

"When the cup of psychological needs is being smashed, one of our remainsing shapes is a cup. This cup is not, however, a cup that says "Jesus make me happy," or "Jesus make me feel better about myself." It is a cup that simply says, "I need Jesus. I am a spiritual beggar who cannpt pray, obey, or even have physical life apart from the love of Christ." "I am dead apart from Christ, and I need his grace every moment." For these needs Jesus pours out his love to such an extent that it is impossible for any one person to contain it.

We nedd to be a corporate body, smitten with the glory of God, committed to the unity of the church, deluged by his love, and faithful as we walk togeher in obedience to him, even in our suffering. We need to need other people less and love other people more." (E.T. Welch)