Devotion for May 1st
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
[Philippians 4:19 NIV]
Sometimes the bible says things that on Monday morning is just hard to believe.God will meet all my needs?God will supply all my needs?God will abundantly supply all my needs?But what about when my needs are not supplied?When I am broke, broken, belittled, and betrayed? How are my needs supplied then?The needs are supplied according to the riches of HIS glory in Christ Jesus. So we receive a withdrawal from the riches of God’s glory found in Christ Jesus to meet these needs.What is God’s glory?How can I make a withdrawal from the bank of God’s glory to supply my needs?John Piper says:I believe the glory of God is the going public of his infinite worth. I define the holiness of God as the infinite value of God, the infinite intrinsic worth of God. And when that goes public in creation, the heavens are telling the glory of God, and human beings are manifesting his glory, because we're created in his image, and we're trusting HIS promises so that we make HIM look gloriously trustworthy.So then, God's glory is the radiance of his holiness, the radiance of his manifold, infinitely worthy and valuable perfections.”Our needs are supplied by the revelation and manifestation of God’s perfect character, competence, and compassion in the person of Christ Jesus who is the greatest appearance of God for HE is God in the flesh.Clearly, my understanding of my “needs” and God’s comprehension of my “needs” may be radically different.I think I need a job and God know I need to see HIM as a faithful heavenly father in Christ Jesus so that I am filled with peace and contentment as I look for a job.I think I need a relationship to survive, but God knows I need to see that I have a perfect relationship with HIM in Christ Jesus which only was possible at great price and that I have been made part of the body of Christ where I can see Jesus in different believers.I feel I need respect when I am belittled and betrayed, but God knows I need to see what honor and love HE holds me in by adopting me as HIS child, singing over me with joy, and making me part of the royal family in Christ Jesus.God sees beyond the surface needs.He wants to supply the deeper needs so that in all my struggles I can take joy knowing that they are developing a greater capacity for me to reveal HIS character, competence, and compassion in Christ Jesus before a watching world.So God in Christ Jesus is meeting my need, as made in HIS image, to reflect all of HIS greatness, goodness, and grace so that the purpose of my creation can be fulfilled and I will reach my greatest potential to be all that HE created me to be in Christ Jesus.Prayer:Lord, your ways are not my ways. YOU always see things from a different angle. I just want YOU to be a genie in a bible that can be used to meet all of my wishes. But YOU want to make me become like the LORD Jesus in every way so that I will fulfill my true purpose and potential. I just want to survive and YOU want me to truly thrive. Help me begin to see my “needs” through YOUR eyes and see how YOU have supplied them in YOURSELF in coming to me, LORD Jesus. Don’t let me see myself as a pauper, but as a prince. LORD give me YOUR eyes today. Amen