Oh, we  want everybody here in class today to realize that there is one place that you fit. And that is the only place that you can really fit. And nobody in all this world can fit that place, but you. To most people, religion is largely a matter of how God and the Bible and all these things
affect them.

That’s very natural. We tend to view things in that way. For example, suppose I am planning to make a garden, or go on a picnic, or do something else that needs sunny weather or that at least the rain would interfere with. And if it rains, then what? How do I feel? I say, “Oh, my, isn’t that too bad?”

But you know, if I had my garden planted and I need rain badly, and then it rains, what do I say? “Oh, isn’t that wonderful? That is a providence.” It is the same rain. But it is just a question of how it affects me. You see?

And so it is with much of life. So when it comes to religion, most people are interested in how religion will affect them. Well, you say, “Sure, isn’t that what it is supposed to do?” Well, I want to give you a different view of it today, friends. I want you to think of how it affects God. You see, there are two parts to this relationship between you and God. One is you, and the other is God. How it affects you is one thing. I want you to think of how it affects God.

Let’s go to Isaiah 43:21, and we will see something interesting there. You will see what you were made for:“This people have I formed for myself” Isaiah 43:21.

Now, God formed you. Did He make you different? Did He? Did you ever see anybody just like you? Did you? There are no duplicates. And why is that? Well, I will tell you why. You were formed to fit a certain need, to fill a certain need. And God only needed one like you. That is all He needed, so that is why He only made one. If He had needed two like you, He would have made somebody identical, your duplicate. But He only needed one. But now, if He did need one, and you are the only one that fills that need, do you see that you become quite valuable?

If all your friends are going in a certain direction, that doesn’t mean that it’s the direction for you to go. Joseph was the only one of his brothers to become prime minister of Egypt. Esther was the only one of her family to become a queen. John the Baptist was the only one of a long line, who was to be the messenger to prepare the people for the Messiah. He was born for that job, a special boy to do a special work.

You have been born for a special work. But my subject tonight is not so much the work that you are to do here on earth. That is interesting, and that is wonderful, and we could spend an hour on that; we might, before we get through with this series. But today, I have something far more wonderful than that. You, not only are planned to do a special work here on earth, you were made to fill a special place in the heart of God.

You were planned by God to fill a certain need in His heart, His mind, His soul. “Oh,” you say, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” Well, let me study it with you a little. The Bible presents God under various names and various illustrations – the love of a father, the love of a mother. He tells us, “When ye pray say,” what? “Our Father.” And he compares His love to the love of a mother: “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you” Isaiah 66:13.

He speaks of Himself as our brother. And again: “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given” Isaiah 9:6. In these various relationships, He is seeking to teach us not merely what He is to us, but what we are to Him. It is hard, probably, for us to realize that God might actually need us, but He does, friends. He needs us.

What would God need me for? Well, I will tell you what He needs me for, friends. He needs me for fellowship with Him. He doesn’t need me to feed Him bread, but He does need me to feed Him love, sympathy, understanding. He needs me to talk with Him.“Oh,” you say, “He has lots of people to talk with.”