What meets all my needs?

Last night, I watched a police drama on television. A secondary part of the plot showed the ex-spouse of a police chief who showed up at her apartment and was discovered by the woman’s adopted son. Because the man was intoxicated, the youth took his car keys then left him to sleep it off. He went to the police station to tell his mother. She went home but because she was involved in the main story (an important murder case) the boy convinced her that he could handle it.

When the ex woke up, somewhat sober, he tried to convince the boy that his gambling habit would eventually pay off and he would hit “the big one” and make them all rich. The boy wisely said, “You don’t realize that you had a wonderful wife and wonderful children; you already hit the big one.”

The man jerked as if slapped. He got it; money is not it. He lost the most important things in his live because he could not love both money and his family.

This principle goes farther when it comes to loving God. Most of us know these words that Jesus said . . .

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

I’ve heard said that you can tell how devoted a Christian is to God by his wallet. Yet most people do not realize there is another great truth behind sacrificial giving and making God more important than my bank balance. Right after Jesus said I cannot serve two masters, He explained why:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:25–33)

It is an issue of trust. Believing that God will supply all my needs has ramifications. If I have a certain thing and see that someone else needs it, I can give it to them without worry because if I need it, God will replace it. This thing could be money, but also food, a book, even a car. My giving (my wallet) reflects how much I trust God to take care of my needs.

James takes it a bit farther. He says that if I cannot be generous, my faith is not genuine. He put it this way:

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:14–17)

Last week, one of our church leaders said, “You better be giving while you’re living, because what you’re holding is molding.” I laughed but know that it is true. Nothing in this material world is going to last. Not only that, none of it, including money has any ability to satisfy. It just makes us want more.

^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, we sing songs about You being enough, about the satisfaction that You alone can give. Faith believes it and experience proves it. Contentment is a wonderful by-product. I am thankful today that You take care of all my needs and even more thankful that I know this is true!