Need?

I heard someone say yesterday that God's plan will happen with us or without us. He gives us an opportunity to participate, but what he wants to get done will get done. This morning, I read that God does not need us.

I think both of those ideas are too simple -- perhaps so simple so as to not be accurate.

I believe that God can do anything he pleases; none of my statements in this post are meant to imply otherwise. I believe that God's will accomplish his ultimate will.*

I think, though, that he offers us more than an opportunity to participate. Part of his ultimate will is that we will participate in his plan, so I think there are missions in the world that will chooses to NOT accomplish without us. He has a desire for us to be partners in his work. And that is a desire he will not compromise.

He doesn't need us to do his work. True. But there is some mysterious element of God that wants our companionship in his work. Does he need it in order to get the work done? No. I think, though, that he loves us enough to need us in order to do it the way he wants it done. He chooses to need us.