Why do I need God...? - Part I

The question posed:  "Why do I need God and why does God need me?"

Contain in the above are two questions.  The following treats to the first of the two.  Later attention will be devoted the second.  Again, it is important to examine the question then look to logical implications and outcomes.

In the last post it was argued that God's existence is outside of the time-matter-energy-space continuum.*  Further that the various aspects of God made available to man are but a small glimpse of the whole.  Said more accurately the qualities of God may be understood to some degree but not exhaustively so.

At this point introduce into the discussion one's presuppositions.  Regarding God any number are available.  For example, there can be the supposition that God is like man and suffers under the same limitations.  Inherent in such is the danger that all that God is and does must fit through the lens  of man's understanding.    More in just a moment.

So then before digging any further into the question may we agree that there is a point at which a person may not fully understand some matter of truth and that is the place at which faith comes into play?  As well may we understand that playing the faith card too early in any argument is not a fair treatment of any question under study?  By the same token, in any discussion, to dismiss faith is to make assumptions which tempt a serious and potentially catastrophic result!

So if we can agree upon those things, then focus upon the first part of the question, "Why do I need God...?"   Interesting the words, "Why do...?"  Those words suggest that there is a quest for reasons.  "What are the reasons?" would be another way of asking. 

Then notice what comes next, "...I need...!" Consider it this way.  What is the basis for any "need?"  Is such not based in a recognized inadequacy, insufficiency, and lack? 

So here is the divide.  If you can picture a fork in a road and at that fork a decision is made.  On one road travels the person who decides and declares, "I have no need of any sort of a god, I am totally adequate and sufficient in matters of religion and life."   On the other travels the person who recognizes his inadequacy and thus has a need for something outside of himself-some sort of a god. 

Then for the person who acknowledges a need for a god as he travels along he comes another divide in the road and thus another decision.  Following one pathway is the person who creates a god he wants.  This god must fit in and be seen through the aforementioned lens of man's understanding.  Of course such a god if morally superior to the person who creates him then it is not by much.

On the other pathway is the person who seeks to know and follow the God who is and who said, "I AM that I AM."  The meaning of those words is, "the self existent One."  The traveler on this road seeks to conform his life to God and thus is willing to acknowledge some things.

First, this person is willing to acknowledge that he is not always adequate for the task at hand, possesses insufficient resources, and is possessed of lack in this and other areas.  Second, this is the person who is willing to seek a God external to his own finiteness.  Third, this is the person who is willing to make the changes necessary to be in relationship with the God who is.

It all comes back to the initial thought that in order for one to need God there must be some recognized deficiency.  Interesting that religion is one of a very few areas where one can claim that they have no need.  Yet, history has proven otherwise.

John Donne (1572-1631) wrote as part of a meditation, "No man is an island."  His writing observes that no one is sufficient enough to not be alone.**   More to follow

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 * In thinking over the time-matter-space continuum, it occurred to me that I left one out.  It should be time-matter-energy-space continuum.  A change has been entered in the previous blog, "How was God Created?"
**http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/no-man-is-an-island.html