In today’s age, someone might ask us, “What do ya need?” “Surely, I have something you want,” cries out the salesman. Everywhere we go there is someone who is anxiously waiting to serve us . . . or should I say, to overhaul us. What is it about life that makes us desire beginning at birth?
An infant desires the milk of his or her mother and as that child gets older, they rely upon forks to service them, stoves to service their food and employers to give them their checks to pay for such things. As one enters into adulthood, they are waited on by others such as car dealerships who offer a $.60 cent bottle of water before lowering the boom on you, or closing on your first house not knowing that you just signed a loan with flexible interest and payments. Is it possible to say that while we were allowing others to serve us, that we actually became the servants of others?
Service to others must be a delicate balance because sin also has a way of creeping in this way. It pokes its head out of the hole like a servant to us and speaks of the things we really want in life, or so we think. Yet, Jesus said that whosoever commiteth sin is the servant of sin.” (Jn. 8:34) Is this what we really need in life?
While sin promises great rewards on the outside, it corrupts the soul on the inside. Sin is corrosive. It has hidden cost and fills our lives with emptiness. It is ironic that when we bring our automobiles in for a $49.99 routine checkup, we usually pay more because of other things they found. This can apply to the soul of man. A person may be beautiful and physically fit, but when he comes in for the scheduled maintenance before the throne of God, He may find that our soul is clogged and darkened with sin.
Therefore, our soul may need an overhaul. It may need a great physician. Jesus said, “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.” (Lk. 5:31) Jesus is the Great Physician. He said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Lk. 5:32) He has a cure for us and that is repentance. Repentance is necessary if we are to keep our souls in tip – top shape. Repenting blots out the sins from our lives. (Acts. 3:19) It allows us not to service sin, but to service God.
We need to know that what we really need in life is the same thing that we need in the afterlife . . . Jesus Christ. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (Jn. 14:6) Jesus has what we need. He has salvation for us and gives it freely to all who are obedient to the Father’s will. No matter whom you are, no matter where you are, everyone has an opportunity to fill the void in their lives by hearing, believing, repenting, confessing and being baptized for the remission of sins. (Acts. 2:38) Only then can we hope to have everything we need.