“Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me” (Job 38:3). “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13). The above passages inform that God calls upon us to be men. What is God’s greatest need? It is not wealth. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). It is not power, either (Genesis. 1:1). God’s greatest need is a man. “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city” (Jeremiah 5:1). Now notice: God seeks a man not a mouse, or a drunkard, or liar, a thief, or a whiner…but a man that is honest and seeks the truth.

God’s greatest need then was a man, so God’s greatest need now is a man. There were men in Jeremiah’s time as there are men today, but God wanted a certain type of man, because a certain work had to be done. The man that God wanted was one that was fair and sought the truth. The type of men God is seeking are men as David, Daniel, Peter, Paul and Christ, (Psalm 1:1-3; Daniel 1:8; 2 Peter 1:5-11; 2 Timothy 2:20-26; Matthew 5:1-16).

God used the men He needed. Noah, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8). God needed Noah to preserve the human race. He needed and used Abraham to become the father of the nation through whom God would bless the world (Galatians 3:28, 29). God used Moses to deliver Israel. Moses refused the glory of this world, riches and honor to serve God. God needed David to accept the challenge of Goliath and to free Israel. We need men like David today whose trust is in God. He used and needed Peter to announce the Gospel of Salvation to the Jews on Pentecost and to the Gentiles at the house of Cornelius. God used and needed Paul to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles and write a large portion of the New Testament.

God’s greatest need now is a man. The work of saving the lost has been given to man (2 Cor. 4:7). It takes a real man to stand in the face of discouragement, trials and persecution. God needs men who will push ahead and never look back (Luke 9:62).

Will you supply God’s Greatest Need Today? J.D. Conley, Church of Christ Hamar Hill, Marietta, OH