Deeper Still – Vital Necessity (Part 1)

There are many things in this world that we consider necessities of life. When you really stop and ponder what a necessity is, the list shortens. Webster defines it as that which is required and indispensable. Vital is defined as absolutely necessary or important; essential. Food, water and shelter would make it to the top of the list. Most would agree that we would add a number of things to this list that really don’t qualify. The gamut would run from spouses to financial security; transportation to vacations. If we are really honest, most would insist it must include smart phones, Wi-Fi and good coffee.

How many of us would be quick to add Jesus to the top of our Vital Necessity List? Not a mere knowledge of Him, but a growing personal relationship? Jesus…required and indispensable; absolutely necessary and important; essential. Oh, that we would come to know Him as our vital necessity.

As life as we know it is quickly changing, we would be wise to learn from a king in the Old Testament named Jehoshaphat found in 2 Chronicles 20. The quick story is that neighboring enemies were coming against Judah and threatening to take away the inheritance the Lord had given them. When the report was brought to him that Judah was surrounded by a great multitude, we find out something very important about this King. What was his immediate response to such alarming news?

“Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the Lord; he proclaimed a fast in all of Judah. And Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord [yearning for Him with all their desire].” 2 Chron. 20:3-4

Like most of us, he was first struck with fear, but he knew what to do with fear. The amplified translation says, “he set himself”. The New American Standard translation says, “he turned his attention to seek the Lord”. We see that his vital need was to seek the Lord.

You may feel that you don’t have a clue which way to turn. You don’t know what to do about all that is going on around you. Set yourself to seek the Lord. He will answer.

He must be our vital necessity and we must turn our full attention to seek Him. As we do, we like Jehoshaphat will see the Lord answer us and deliver us.

Next week we will see his strategy and the result of making the Lord our vital necessity.

Lord we turn our attention to seek you. We see the enemy approaching on every side and we don’t know what to do. We run to you and seek your face. We trust Lord that as we seek you and cry out to you, You will answer us and deliver us.