How many of us have heard the following quoted with an assurance that God will provide?
"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." ~Phil. 4:19But have you ever stopped to notice the context in which that is stated? Immediately leading up to this one verse, Paul is thanking the Philippians for their gifts and generosity.
And what about this one?
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in their wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasures for themselves... so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." ~I Tim. 6:17-19aOkay, so that's not all. Check this one out...
"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous... through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." ~ II Cor. 9:11
Are you noticing the theme that I've been pondering and considering?
God's provisions are tied to my heart posture and acts of generosity. And NOT JUST financially.
Yes, it includes that... but also generosity with my actions, my time, my resources, myself.
And why? To have an eternal impact (lay up treasures), to take hold of the life that is truly life, to result in thanksgiving to God.
His provisions for me are not about me! They are about giving to others and giving Him glory... oh, and by the way... in the process I have my needs met. (I'm learning that I don't always need what I think I need. Am I willing to let God define my "needs"?)
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." ~Matt. 6:33
What other examples do you find? Care to share your thoughts on this as I continue to search and discover the ties between generosity and His provisions?...
Great ponderings, Donnetta. You point out so clearly the revelation that "we don't always need what we think we need". To relaize that for God, being rich has nothing to do with your bank account. You and I have discussed Jeremiah 29;11 where God declares his plan for us...."to give us prosperity, not to harm us; to give us hope and a future". What about that part about "prosperity and not to harm us"? The prosperity that God continues to give me brings me to my knees because of my perception of unworthiness. But, in a very real sense, I frequently feel as if I have been harmed in the process of receiving prosperity, and I have a lifetime of scars, pain, and loss that confuses me at times. Have I not been harmed? Has the generosity and grace given to me during my times of need made me more generous so others can prosper? Was Jesus not harmed and scarred to give us what we need? You so beautifully ask if you are willing to let God determine your needs. It's a big step to realize that many of our most precious gifts are wrapped in unpleasant paper. In my case, I wouldn't give up any of the scars, pain, or loss in my life because they are what God determined I needed to come closer to Him and be more of the man He created me to be. The events in our lives are either lessons that are blessings, or blessings that are lessons. The secret is to sit at the feet of God and allow yourself to be taught...to know that God has and is giving exactly what you need and everything is as it should be.
ReplyDeleteJeff E.