He is Enough

Here is a thought.  Perhaps this is a little out of context, perhaps not...
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Philippians 4:19 - "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

My God... will supply your needs.  He doesn't say, "God will give you water to quench your thirst, he will give you money to pay your bills, he will give you food to satisfy your hunger, he will give you STUFF to meet your needs..."

Rather, he says, God will meet your needs.  Just, HIM.  He is enough.  Yes, he meets our needs in tangible, practical ways; but yes too, he is more than enough.  Our needs are met in his presence, and there is nothing we need besides him.

"According to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus..."  

Riches in glory... How is he glorified?

John 15:8 - "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."

How do we bear fruit?

John 15:5 - "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

So basically, to have our needs met...

All we can do is abide with him.  God meets our needs because he comes to us, and he invites us to come to him. We need him, and he is available to us.  He is rich in glory through Christ Jesus, and as we dwell in him and he in us, we produce fruit because he is there (and only because he is there), and the Father is glorified in that.  

So, to summarize, he'll meet our needs because he IS OUR NEED MET.  He meets our needs by his riches in his own work and glory.  He is great.  And he is our greatest need.

Pretty amazing, I say.

Matthew 6:31-33 - "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."

Good Morning, 2014

I find myself an interesting mix of melancholy this morning.  Perhaps you can relate.  On the one hand, I find myself wearing a Santa hat, headphones in my ears, listening to the most epic song I can find whilst imagining myself conquering all odds in the year to come... And, in slow motion, I imagine myself living my own greatest inspirations.  Makes me feel really cool.  Even in a Santa hat.

Still, on the other hand, I find myself very… frightened.  Here I stand on the brink of a new year, arms spread wide, breathing deep… And asking myself, "Will I make it?  Will I soar… or will I fall?"

Told'ja.  Interesting mix of melancholy.

Yet, in the midst of all that, I'm clinging to the Truth.  To Jesus.  After all, I remind myself, it is all about him.  2013 was about him.  2014 is about him.  Life… We have it because of him.

And so, as I stand on the brink of 2014, arms stretched wide, breathing deep… I turn my face toward heaven and open my heart to listen… Where will you take me this year, Lord?  Guide me, teach me, lead me.  Perfect your strength in my weakness.

To my question of, "Where do I find life in living?  How will I get there?  What is the truth of my future?" I hear,

John 14:6 (KJV) - "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

To my cry of, "Lord, I am afraid," I hear,

John 14:26-27 - But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Isaiah 40:1 - "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God."

To my plea of, "Lead me Lord, and make my paths straight!" I hear,

Isaiah 42:16 - "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them."

To my downcast expression of, "Lord, I am weak…I need your strength." I hear,

1 Corinthians 12:9-10 - "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

And,

Isaiah 40:28-31 - "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:   But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

To my question of, "Where should I go?" I hear,

Hebrews 12:1-2 - "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

And finally, to my question of, "How should I follow you, Lord?" I hear,

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

[Actually, I'm hearin' ALL of Proverbs 3.  Just mentioning.]

Breathe in, breathe out.  Fix your eyes on Jesus… And set off running.

Here I come, 2014.  Here I come.