The shepherd needs his sheep to be safe, and will not willingly lose them. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who bought His sheep with His own life and blood, and must needs gather and keep them every one. The physician needs patients whose healing shall proclaim his knowledge and skill, and the Great Physician of sin-sick hearts will glorify Himself by bringing perfect health and cure to all who are led to Him by the Holy Spirit. Do we feel our need of Him? Have we discovered that we are fallen, lost, guilty, and diseased? Then _He needs us_, and has shown us our need, that He may relieve, supply, and bless us with His great salvation. In the same way He needs His people's services for _their own_ sakes. By fighting the Lord's battles of old, His servants were interested in His cause. By working with Him now, in preaching, teaching, warning, and comforting others, Christ's followers still are honoured and blessed. When Saul of Tarsus, breathing out slaughter and bitterness against the sheep of Christ, was hastening like a wolf to Damascus, Jesus stopped Him, made him a new creature, and caused him to utter that cry of anguish, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" Like the jailer's question, "What must I do to be saved?" it came from a convinced and burdened heart. Saul suddenly discovered that his life had been one terrible mistake--that Jesus of Nazareth was the Lord of heaven--and tremblingly he wondered, "Could there be pardon for such a rebel as he now felt himself to be?" Could not the same almighty voice have spoken peace to that troubled conscience? Certainly; but Jesus required Ananias to be His messenger to the humbled Pharisee; and, after three days of suspense and blindness, while his tears had been his only food, Ananias arrived with the message of peace. How tenderly it was given! He put his hands on him, and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared to thee by the way as thou camest, hath sent me unto thee," and comfort, sight, and joy followed, while the believing penitent was baptized in the name of his Lord. How gracious and wise was all this! How closely it drew Ananias and Saul together as brethren--children of the same heavenly family. Paul always lovingly remembered his first Christian friend (Acts xxii. 12, 13), and we are sure that Ananias never forgot that memorable day. And in the same way Christ still needs the loving services of His people to one another; and those who are taught and helped, love their Christian helpers, while the helpers feel a double love towards those to whom they have been made useful. Thus the great and glorious independent and almighty King condescends to make use of feeble worms. And which should we most admire, His majesty, or His tenderness? We cannot tell. He is all-wise and all-powerful, and-- "With heaven and earth at His command, He waits to answer prayer."