We learn about God through creation.
By learning more about his creation, we learn more about the creator.
What is the Hierarchy of Needs Model
For an introductory psychology course, I wrote about Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Model of motivation and realized God fits into every step of the pyramid. For those of you not familiar with Maslow's Model, it forms a pyramid and it lists three categories with five subcategories of needs that humans have. The bottom starts with basic needs, i.e. physiological needs, what our bodies must have to keep living, and safety needs. Next comes psychological needs, i.e. the need for love and belonging and the need for accomplishment and esteem. Lastly, is the need for self-fulfillment or self-actualization (Maslow, 1943).
Physiological Needs
God fulfills our physiological needs,“He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need (Acts 17:25, NLT)."
He fulfills our safety and security needs:
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you (Psalm 91:1-7, NIV)."
Psychological Needs
He is the fulfillment of our love needs because, “God is love (1 John 4:8, NIV)."
If we will trust Him with our lives we are given the right to become children of God, so we belong. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are (1 John 3:1, NIV)!"
In God’s eyes we have more worth and esteem than we could ever realize!
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you (Psalm 139:13-18, NIV)."
He had our days planned out for us before we were even born and His works are wonderful and we are His works, therefore, we are wonderful!
Self-fulfillment Needs
Nothing could be more self-actualizing than being the person God created you to be. For God in His mercy allows trials in life to “refine us like silver (Psalm 66:10, NIV),” that we might gain perseverance, so that we can “let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:4).”
How has our Creator met your needs?
What are some of your favorite verses about God meeting our needs?
Share in the comments below.
Reference
Maslow, A. (1943). A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), pp. 370-396.*Originally posted on 6/20/12 and was further edited on 12/29/18
