Christians… why do we spend so much time looking to the world for provision that comes from God? Look at what [[Matthew 6]] has to say…
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Mat 6:31-33
He knows the things that we have need of . And he says that all the things that you need will be added unto you.
Notice that God doesn’t say you’re going to get the latest and greatest. He doesn’t say your going to drink Fuji water, eat gold-flaked filet mignon, and wear Versace. He says you’ll have what you need.
Sam, aren’t there Christians who starve though? Aren’t there Christians who have their homes taken, who are thirsty, who are wearing scraps?
Yeah… The Bible talks about that in [[Romans 8]]
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romans 8:35-37
Sounds like those two passages are in contradiction. Nakedness, famine, and slaughter is a far cry from having clothes and drink and food.
In both passages though, we see the same theme. A God who loves us. A God who knows us. There isn’t a contradiction here. We just read Matthew 6:31-32 selfishly. We read it desiring physical earthly comfort. God doesn’t give us all that we need to be physically comfortable, He gives us all we need to glorify Him.
As believers, our ultimate need its to be reconciled with our Savior. When we accept Christ, we get a guarantee that this need will be met. The Holy Spirit indwells us now, molding us to be more like him, giving us more grounded strength, patience, peace and other qualities we would lack apart from Him. However, there are things we perceive as “needs” that God views in a much more temporary fashion, because he is looking at his children with an eternal lens.
Let’s imagine a tribe of savages on a beach. There is a group of 5 missionaries who have been trying for months to form a relationship with them in order to witness to them. Everything is going well until one day one of the savages lies to the others and says that he was attacked by those missionaries. In retaliation, the tribe attacks the 5 missionaries and spears them all to death.
Doesn’t sound like God is providing for all of their needs does it? They were chased down and slaughtered. Doesn’t seem like all the good things God says He’ll give us were added to them in that moment.
But God did provide the need. Those missionaries were given all the tools and time they needed to glorify God. That tribe eventually came to Christ through the ministry of the slain missionaries widows. That tribe was given all they needed to walk away from their false religions. Part of the reason that the tribe allowed the widows and sons of the missionaries to come into the tribe after the murders toook place is because they wanted answers as to why the missionaries didn’t resist when they were killed. This desire to understand is what opened the door for Elizabeth Elliot and others to witness to them. This desire to understand led to their salvation. Here is an interesting article I found written by Steve Saint, the son of one of the murdered missionaries.
Since that event, thousands upon thousands of people have heard the story of Jim Elliot and his friends. Because of that testimony, people have come to Christ, people have been led to pursue missions, people have rededicated their lives. God is in all of it. Did Jim and his four friends see that in the moments before a spear was ran through his chest in a nondescript jungle hundreds of miles from home? No. But God did. God saw way bigger and broader. He supplied the need. He was glorified.
Application for us
God will give me and you what we need. Rest in the fact this morning that, if you are a child of Christ, you will be given all you need to live a life that is pleasing and glorifying to Him.
You may not have all you need to have a life that is pleasing, comfortable, and glorifying to you, but God will provide for what matters.
Now… if we understand this intellectually, how are we to apply it to our lives. Live each day as Paul did when he said in [[Philippians 4]]
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:12-13
If you can figure out a system where this key truth passes through your mind daily, you will live a more fulfilled life.
Everyone likes Philippians 4:13, but you miss the context when you don’t include verses 11 and 12.
On the days when life is good, on the days when life is bad. On the days you’re alone, on the days when everyone is your friend, this passage is applicable. On the days when you’re in the dirt and on the days when you’re sitting on the clouds, it’s applicable.
- God I need friends. No, I have given you what you need to glorify me. Be content.
- God, I need you to heal them . No, I have given them what I need to glorify me. Be content.
- God, I need money. I need a house. I need a car. I need this job. No. You need to trust in me regardless of the state you’re in. Be content. Trust in me. I’ve given you all that you need for this moment.
Spend time each day to thank God for the eternal provision He has put in place for your life. God’s knowledge of your needs is greater than your own.