Truthfully: Jesus is NOT All I Need!

I know this may sound a little off color, but bear with me on this one. I have been wrestling with this one for a bit now, and still have more wrestling to do. So many times we hear someone say, "Jesus is All I need," or "Jesus is more than enough for me." Have you or I ever stopped to consider the meaning of this statement? I have and I have come to this conclusion, Jesus is NOT all I need and He is NOT more than enough for me! Sounds sacrilegious doesn't it? But I really believe it is true not only for myself, but for all who follow Jesus as well. Here is why. Jesus was not all that Jesus needed either! If Jesus needed more than just himself, then why shouldn't I need more than him? Before I lose you, let me explain. Jesus is my best friend and he is my only Savior and Lord. He is my king and my shield. My Comforter and my Shepherd. His blood is all sufficient to cover my unrighteousness and his love is more than enough to cover even my darkest of hours. Jesus is who I stare at and persevere to imitate and hope to one day embrace and have him tell me of his love face to face. When I think of Jesus and the depths of his passion for me, it is overwhelming to say the least. He bore my burdens, he carried my scars, he wore my flesh, he faced my temptations, his body was ripped and torn because he loves me. What an amazing Savior and Lord! But I need more than Jesus, and so did he! I need the Holy Spirit to help me and guide me on a daily basis! Oh how I thirst to know the Spirit's voice more clearly. Jesus was able to tune into the voice of the Spirit which led him to the water with John the Baptist, and then to the desert to be tempted. He heard the sound of that voice when his body was wrecked by hunger and yet he could quote the power of Scripture to overcome his foe. He himself said he did not do anything that he did not see his Father doing, and it was the Spirit guiding his eyes to see and hear those very things. Jesus, in his human form, was forced to rely solely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit to show him his Father's path, and I need the Holy Spirit that much more. In a day and age when we are so driven by what we can see, feel, and taste, Jesus showed us that we are to live on the bread of his Word and the water that flows from him which comes only through the Holy Spirit. Jesus is not all I need, I need the Holy Spirit. That however is not all. I need my Father as well. Jesus told us that he came to point us to the Father, God in heaven. Jesus had to entrust himself to the hands and plan of his Father, praying it would all be as he had been told. He knew the plan, because the Spirit made it clear to him through the Scriptures, but Jesus wrestled in his heart with this plan. "Father, is there any other way?" he cried as drops of blood mixed with his sweat. However, Jesus said, "Not my will, but yours be done." Jesus walked his daily life trusting His Dad to pull through for him because he needed his Father. When he broke bread for the multitudes, he had to trust his Dad would stretch it out and make it last. When he faced Satan in the desert, he had to trust his Dad to give him strength to resist the temptations. When he faced a demonic person, he had to trust his Dad to overcome in the battle. When he faced an angry mob in the temple who wanted to stone him before it was his time, he had to trust his Dad to protect him. When he was physically and emotionally exhausted, he had to retreat to a place to be alone with his Father, through the Holy Spirit, to regain his strength and focus on the path ahead. When he faced the trials, he had to trust his Dad to keep his mouth shut as he was falsely accused, because every ounce of human flesh in him raged to lash out and defend his honor. When he was on the cross, and gasping for air, he had to trust his Dad that this was the plan and that after three days his Dad would summon him from the hands of all his enemies and set him on his rightful throne for all eternity and give him the bride his heart so desired. While for three days he suffered the unthinkable tortures of death, he had to trust his Dad to call his name and say "Son, Arise my Love!" When he left us here to continue on this journey, he had to trust his Dad that he would clothe us in righteousness and bring us home even though our journeys would be difficult, just like his. Jesus needed his Heavenly Father, and so do I! There is one more thing Jesus needed, and it was a physical family. Remember, Jesus was human in every way we are, and that means he required fellowship just as we do. Jesus longed to walk with others he could share life with. That is part of the reason why he called 12 unworthy men to be his friends. As he went through daily life, Jesus thrived in the presence of these guys. He enjoyed pouring his love out on them, and he also enjoyed them sharing their lives with him. Could he have survived without the 12? I am sure he could have. However, Jesus knew our human needs, as he created us as we are, so he gave himself to be like us and to the need of surrounding ourselves with a family. Human nature is drawn to others who can lift us up and give us strength to face life together. It is evident on Sunday mornings when like minded people gather in a building or when a gang of thieves all gather and live together. Farmers enjoy the company of other farmers! Bikers enjoy riding with other bikers. Athletes connect with other jocks! Smart people surround themselves with other smart folks. Look around and everywhere you turn you will see that intimate need we all have for a family. Even those who are "alone" and depressed tend to connect with others who are alone and depressed. It is our human nature and Jesus carried that burden as well. That is why he surrounded himself with outcast and those others cared little for, because he grew up as an outcast and one who others despised. The world looked down on fishermen and tax collectors just as they had looked down on a baby born in a manger, to a mother out of wedlock. Jesus longed for intimacy with these guys so much, that at one point when the crowd grew so large only because people wanted to see the miracles or be fed for free, he spoke a harsh word of reality (you mist eat my flesh and drink my blood) so all those who were not truly committed would leave and he could draw in closer to these 12 men. Jesus, the man, needed a family, and so do I! As the payment for my sin, YES, Jesus is ALL I need and more than enough for me. But Jesus himself knows I need so much more than just him. He knows how easy it is to struggle and doubt, so he sent the Holy Spirit to be my guide and the lifter up of my soul. to groan for me in deep prayers I know not even how to utter. He knew I needed more, so he pointed me to His father and said, I am one with Him and my Father longs to be one with you. I will show you how to walk with him, just Follow Me! Jesus knew I needed a family, because life alone can be so miserable, so he surrounded me with dear brothers and sisters whom I can share this life with. And in these days when true, authentic family can be so hard to find, he allows for our hearts to span a globe to be close to someone who may be thousands of miles away. I want to be like Jesus in every way, and that includes acknowledging not only my need for him, but that I also need more than just him. I need the Holy Spirit to guide my every step. I need God my father so I can entrust myself to his plan even though to me it does not make sense. And I need a family to walk through this life with so I can be held accountable to His high calling and reminded of his love through their hands and feet of service. Through Jesus ALL of this is possible, therefore I need Jesus and ALL he has to offer! In Love Ray