DAY 9 —The Need to be Loved

When I travel, I carry a bag filled with the makings for my coffee. I’m not overly particular, but I get chronic migraines, and keeping my coffee consistent helps keep them at bay. That little bag isn’t optional—it’s a vital need when I’m away from home.

The Bible describes another kind of vital need—one that points us toward a deeper pursuit of God. When King Jehoshaphat faced an invasion from three powerful armies, he didn’t rely on his own strength. Second Chronicles tells us he “resolved to seek the Lord,” (2 Chronicles 2:3 NIV) The Amplified Version makes it stronger: "he recognized his vital need to seek the Lord."

That same attitude pulses through Paul’s prayers. Prayer wasn’t an add-on for him. It was the main thing, born out of a vital necessity to connect with God. And one of his greatest prayers in Ephesians 3 was for believers to be “rooted and grounded in love.”

Thirst-Quenching Essential #2: Love.

We all need to be loved. When that need isn’t met in Christ, we’ll look for it somewhere else.

The sinful woman who wept at Jesus’ feet poured out her longing in tears and desperation (Luke 7:36-50). The Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well had gone through five husbands and was living with a sixth man (John 4:4-18). Her search for love only left her emptier, so much so that she avoided her community altogether.

Our stories may look different, but the struggle is the same. We chase after love in places that can’t satisfy—through relationships, attention, appearance, success, even hiding behind busyness or building walls around our hearts. We want love, but the pursuit leaves us dry.

Paul reminds us that only Christ can root and ground us in the kind of love that satisfies to the depths of our being. Only the love of Jesus can meet your vital need for love—every other pursuit will leave you thirsty.

Drink Deep

Where have you been looking for love apart from Jesus? Acknowledge that thirst today, and ask Him to ground you in His love that never fails.