Needs met

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.      Phil. 4.19                                                                                                                                   

God gave this promise to the Philippians through Paul. I also appropriate it as God’s promise to me. And what a promise it is! It delights and excites me.

My needs will be met. When I was younger my needs seem to have been more materialistic than they are today. It is true that I still have material needs, and these I willingly surrender to God.

But when I now ask myself what I truly need, the answer comes more in an inner and personal way. I need peace. I believe Jesus had made a special gifting of peace to me. It is a wonderful gift, one which I gladly take for myself and one which I often appropriate for others.

I need contentment and this seems to be coming into my life in greater measure. I need love, and I’m blessed to receive this from family, friends and, of course, God.

As I surrender my needs to God, He provides. And this is no meagre or even adequate provision. No! God provides for me in accordance with all the glorious riches that exist in Christ Jesus. God cares for me out of the fullness of heaven. Whether my need is practical, material, emotional and personal I can look to Him, and He will provide for me in abundance. I am so thankful that I have stopped relying on myself. He is my provider. To Him I look, in all things.

Mighty God and Loving Heavenly Father,

I yield up to You every need in my life. I rejoice that Your provision for me is in the fullness of the glorious riches of Christ Jesus. May I know this fullness in all of me, in every aspect of my living.

I thank You, in Jesus’ precious name.               Amen.

Fragrant

I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.                                                    Phil. 4.18

Paul is most grateful for all that the Philippians have done for him. He has received and he has been blessed. I wonder if, in giving, the Philippians were aware of the true impact of their offering and contribution. Paul reminds them, and what a wonderful reminder it is.

He describes the Philippian gifts as a fragrant offering. Fragrant is sweet-smelling. It could also be heavily scented. This is how Paul viewed the Philippians’ loving gestures. I see it also as a view shared by God, for Paul tells us the gifts are pleasing to God. They are an acceptable sacrifice.

When I do something good for someone I may not be aware of the full implications of my act. Indeed, I do not need to know, for this is not my motivation. But what a wonderful blessing it would be if my actions were to form a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice which is pleasing to God.

My motivation is to help people where I can. I pray for God’s enabling, strength and opportunities to do this. And if, perchance, Paul’s words to the Philippians apply in these cases, then may God be praised, and God alone.

Holy Father,

Help me, please, to help those that I can. I pray for opportunities and for all I might need to follow through in You. Share with me, if You will, Your heart for this troubled world. Journey with me to bring Your love to the starving, to introduce the thirsty to the waters of life, and to show them the way to You.                            Amen.

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(Search: Peter Francis - "God Talk").