I'm Needy
I'm needy. I need lots of things - water, food, shelter, friends, money, insurance, a car, clothes, shoes, family, books, rest, time, fun, sunshine, rain, warm days, cool breezes, vacations, kudos, peace and quiet, music, laughter, good conversation, great vacations. Those are a few of my needs. How about you? Need anything?
Paul says in Philippians 4:19 that "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." My first thought is a line from the movie Christmas Vacation - when Clark Griswold tells the children at Christmas Eve dinner that he had heard about a Santa spotting on the news. The children look at him with wide eyes and (adult) Cousin Eddie says, "You serious, Clark?" with all the conviction of a man wanting to believe in the fat man in a red suit who would deliver gifts to all the good little boys and girls... So, my thought is "Are you serious, Paul?"
And Father says, "Yes, Amy. Paul is serious." So I say, "Just how rich is Christ Jesus?" And He says, "His riches are deep wisdom and knowledge - beyond your ability to search them out. (Romans 11:33) And they are redemption and forgiveness by my grace. (Ephesians 1:7) And they are a glorious eternal inheritance. (Ephesias 1:18). And more." And I say, "How does that meet my needs, as listed above, Father?"
Have you ever had this conversation with Him? Or prayed through a list of all the things you 'need' and realized that He was quietly waiting for you to finish so He could tell you that He cares, that He will take care of your needs, but what really matters is that you realize He has given you things beyond your understanding that have eternal benefit? He is always so kindly reminding me of who I am in Christ, of what I have in Christ, and of what is to come because of Christ. And when He does, I don't feel so needy. I actually feel satisfied in the riches of Christ Jesus because I am seeing my needs through His eyes. But He doesn't tell me to quit asking Him for things.
One of the most beautiful things about telling what I need and want and would like to have is that when I do, He shows me that He delights in my asking. My asking is one way that I demonstrate my trust in Him and my understanding of who He is. And it gives Him an opportunity to show Himself to me. He shows me what I already have from Him. And He shows me that He is meeting my needs. And He shows me that He longs to give me good things, lavish His love on me, and help me see how faithful He is and how compassionate by actually giving me things that I have asked of Him. Check out these verses:
Matthew 7:7-11 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Psalm 145:15-16 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
He is not offended when we ask for things - even if we ask for more than the food we need for today. He is a giver and a good Father and longs to give us good gifts! Do you really believe that? Is your relationship with Him one that lets you rest in knowing that He wants to give you the things you seek because He loves you? If it is, then you are probably learning, just like me, that it really isn't about asking for what I need, want, or would like to have. It is really about asking for more of Him. And trusting that as I ask for other things, that I will find Him in the midst of them as He graciously gives them. And the things He gives will bring more of Him into my life. How delightful!!
King David was a man who never hesitated to let God know what he was thinking or needing or wanting. And he was a man who never hesitated to believe God was listening, caring, and wanting to give what was asked. And he was a man who praised God and loved Him and longed to be with Him and to be loved by Him. And God called David 'a man after my own heart'. Hmmmm.... My heart tells me that if David's heart was like God's heart then God loved David and longed to be with Him and to be loved by Him. Is that how God feels about me? Is that how I feel about Him?
Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." David learned over his many years of loving his Lord God that as he delighted himself in God, the desires of his heart became things that God delighted in giving him. As I think of how David never hesitated to express his deepest thoughts, feelings, needs and desires, I realize that as I grow in my knowledge of God, and my love for Him, that the desires of my heart are becoming the things that He will delight in giving. And that He loves me, longs to be with me, and longs to be loved by me. Wow. He's good.
I realize I am not so needy. He is supplying all of my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. And the desires of my heart are to know Him more, honor Him more, delight in Him more, love Him more. And so I feel satisfied. So delighted. So full. So blessed. So loved.
I won't quit asking. But mostly I will ask for more of Him. He's got everything I need anyway, right?
I'm needy. I need You, Lord. And I need to know more of You so I can have more delight in You! You are the desire of my heart. I love you.
Amy
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:17
Paul says in Philippians 4:19 that "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." My first thought is a line from the movie Christmas Vacation - when Clark Griswold tells the children at Christmas Eve dinner that he had heard about a Santa spotting on the news. The children look at him with wide eyes and (adult) Cousin Eddie says, "You serious, Clark?" with all the conviction of a man wanting to believe in the fat man in a red suit who would deliver gifts to all the good little boys and girls... So, my thought is "Are you serious, Paul?"
And Father says, "Yes, Amy. Paul is serious." So I say, "Just how rich is Christ Jesus?" And He says, "His riches are deep wisdom and knowledge - beyond your ability to search them out. (Romans 11:33) And they are redemption and forgiveness by my grace. (Ephesians 1:7) And they are a glorious eternal inheritance. (Ephesias 1:18). And more." And I say, "How does that meet my needs, as listed above, Father?"
Have you ever had this conversation with Him? Or prayed through a list of all the things you 'need' and realized that He was quietly waiting for you to finish so He could tell you that He cares, that He will take care of your needs, but what really matters is that you realize He has given you things beyond your understanding that have eternal benefit? He is always so kindly reminding me of who I am in Christ, of what I have in Christ, and of what is to come because of Christ. And when He does, I don't feel so needy. I actually feel satisfied in the riches of Christ Jesus because I am seeing my needs through His eyes. But He doesn't tell me to quit asking Him for things.
One of the most beautiful things about telling what I need and want and would like to have is that when I do, He shows me that He delights in my asking. My asking is one way that I demonstrate my trust in Him and my understanding of who He is. And it gives Him an opportunity to show Himself to me. He shows me what I already have from Him. And He shows me that He is meeting my needs. And He shows me that He longs to give me good things, lavish His love on me, and help me see how faithful He is and how compassionate by actually giving me things that I have asked of Him. Check out these verses:
Matthew 7:7-11 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Psalm 145:15-16 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
He is not offended when we ask for things - even if we ask for more than the food we need for today. He is a giver and a good Father and longs to give us good gifts! Do you really believe that? Is your relationship with Him one that lets you rest in knowing that He wants to give you the things you seek because He loves you? If it is, then you are probably learning, just like me, that it really isn't about asking for what I need, want, or would like to have. It is really about asking for more of Him. And trusting that as I ask for other things, that I will find Him in the midst of them as He graciously gives them. And the things He gives will bring more of Him into my life. How delightful!!
King David was a man who never hesitated to let God know what he was thinking or needing or wanting. And he was a man who never hesitated to believe God was listening, caring, and wanting to give what was asked. And he was a man who praised God and loved Him and longed to be with Him and to be loved by Him. And God called David 'a man after my own heart'. Hmmmm.... My heart tells me that if David's heart was like God's heart then God loved David and longed to be with Him and to be loved by Him. Is that how God feels about me? Is that how I feel about Him?
Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." David learned over his many years of loving his Lord God that as he delighted himself in God, the desires of his heart became things that God delighted in giving him. As I think of how David never hesitated to express his deepest thoughts, feelings, needs and desires, I realize that as I grow in my knowledge of God, and my love for Him, that the desires of my heart are becoming the things that He will delight in giving. And that He loves me, longs to be with me, and longs to be loved by me. Wow. He's good.
I realize I am not so needy. He is supplying all of my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. And the desires of my heart are to know Him more, honor Him more, delight in Him more, love Him more. And so I feel satisfied. So delighted. So full. So blessed. So loved.
I won't quit asking. But mostly I will ask for more of Him. He's got everything I need anyway, right?
I'm needy. I need You, Lord. And I need to know more of You so I can have more delight in You! You are the desire of my heart. I love you.
Amy
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:17
Comments