Am I trying to help God?

The other day my family and I took a trip to the local Christian bookstore to buy a children’s Bible for one of our neighbors. While the kids were busy entertaining themselves with a magnetic Moses figure and Veggie Tales characters, I snuck away to the Classics section and was able to pick up a paperback copy of The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer. I had been eyeing this book for a while, and was surprised and excited that they had it in stock.

As I’ve been reading through it, one quote in particular has stood out to me, especially as I think about my motives and heart for serving the Lord Jesus in places like Thailand:

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 fancied 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 from 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.

I am reminded that whenever Christians have the opportunity to serve and love others, it should be counted as a privilege and blessing that we can participate in His great and wonderful plans, not because He needs us, but because He loves us.