"You, then, should not be worrying, saying, 'What may we be eating?' or, "What may we be drinking?' or, 'With what may we be clothed?' For all these things the nations are seeking. For aware is your heavenly Father that you need all of these. Yet seek first the kingdom and its righteousness, and these all shall be added to you. You should not, then, be worrying about the morrow, for the morrow will be worrying of itself. Sufficient for the day is its own evil."
Matthews Account 6: 31-34, Concordant New Testament
Do you believe that God knows what you need? Do you trust Him to provide for you? Someone who lives paycheck to paycheck might scoff and say that God does not know what he needs. Yet with each paycheck he is fed. Back in my church days I would often put conditions upon God for His provision. If I was in a bad situation, I would bargain with Him, promising to follow Him more if He would only deliver me from my current state of affairs. I think that far too many beliers have been in that same situation before. I give myself credit that I knew that God held me in His hands, but my approach was all wrong. I felt that by relating with Him on a personal level of conversation that I could somehow bargain with for His favor. Somehow, I don't think that's how it's supposed to work. The Lord Jesus tells us in Matthew that the Lord already knows what we need even before we ask Him {Matthews Account 6:33}. But if God already knows what I need, why do I feel the need to ask Him to provide it? Well, two words come to mind, trust and faith. Do I trust in Him enough that He will provide for me? Is my faith in Him strong enough to know that He already knows my needs? Also, notice here that I am referring to our needs and not what we often want. I believe that faith and trust go hand in hand. There are more than a few accounts in the gospels where Jesus proclaims to those being healed that their faith has made them well. The woman who touched the cloak of Jesus believed that if she could only touch Him that she would be healed {Matthews Account 9:20-22}. The Roman centurion believed that Jesus only speak the words and that his servant would be healed {Matthews Account 8:5-9}. Not surprisingly, Jesus was pleased with these showings of faith in the Lords children.
Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Paul to the Philippians 4: 6, Concordant New Testament
So, do we really need to place conditions on God? Did that Roman Centurion place conditions upon Jesus that his servant would be healed? Did Abraham bargain with God in the defining moment of his life? As Abraham proclaims, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering" {Genesis 22:8}. So it is with we who follow the Lord today. Our faith and trust in the Lord brings leads us into a more personal relationship with Him. Also, knowing who it is that we are in Him can help us understand that He does indeed provide for His children. For we live in union with the Father and the Son {Johns Account 14:20}. He has been in us from the beginning {Genesis 1:27}. Do we really need to bargain anything from He who created us? And the question will be asked, what about those among us who live without? Does God not also know what they need? Yes! Some might seek to poke holes in this belief by saying that there are far too many of the Lords children who go without. I would agree with that. But that does not shake my faith that God knows always knows our needs. He created us, we live through Him. If we feel that weed need something, then He feels it as well. We are not separate from God who created us. Is it also possible that God places it upon the hearts of His children to provide the needs for others? Absolutely. Through His own the needs of the many will be met.
Surely, He who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us all, how shall He not, together with Him, also, be graciously granting us all?
Paul to the Romans 8: 32, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
1 comment:
Some might read this post and ask the question, what have you done for charitable deeds? I get it. Yet, as Jesus has proclaimed, our charity is not to be done in public{Matthews Account 6:1}. Yet, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing {Matthews Account 6:33}. Therefore, my own deeds are between myself and the Father.
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