Daily Journal: 10 August

Need and Supply

What is need?

Circumstances in which something is necessary; a necessity

What is supply?

An amount of something supplied or available for use

DEFINITIONS FROM OXFORD LANGUAGES

Philippians 4:19 (AMP)

And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

My need isn’t my desire for something, it’s something that’s necessary. God will liberally supply all that I need of my need. His riches in glory are endless and will benefit me to the full.

Matthew 6:8 (NIV)

your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

I need to ask, to bring my needs to Him, because He wants to have that kind of relationship with me; where I trust Him to supply for me. I rely on Him when I ask because I know He doesn't want me to be in lack.

Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Ask and keep on asking. I have often thought this verse means if I don’t receive the first time God must be holding out on me for some reason but I need to be persistent and keep on asking. Relentlessly, until He finally budges or until its the right time. That perception doesn't carry the heart of God that I read in the bible.

Today as I read it, this thought comes to mind. When I ask for something that I need, God will give it, if it's good for me. If I need something else, ask for that too (ask again). Do I have multiple needs? Ask, and keep on asking for God to fulfil all of them. It's about plurality.

We’re talking multiple requests because we have multiple needs. Keep on asking for God to supply all of my needs, liberally. Knock when I have a need and knock again every time I have another need. Seek Him for whether the request is good for me. If it is, He has the provision and I will find it readily available to me.

James 4:2 (NLT)

Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

This verse needs to be read in context of the covetous attitude James was discussing in this chapter. We aren’t to let possessions become a contentious issue of jealousy with others. He wants us to go to Him, not others, to ask for things for valid reasons. He makes available whatever we need and does not withhold His hand or His heart from us.

2 Corinthians 9:10 (TLB)

For God, who gives seed to the farmer to plant, and later on good crops to harvest and eat, will give you more and more seed to plant and will make it grow so that you can give away more and more fruit from your harvest.

God isn’t a God who has his hands behind His back, saying, “which hand?” when we ask Him for something. It isn't as though, if we pick the wrong hand we have to keep asking until we guess the correct hand. No. He is a good Father and He wants us to run to Him knowing He has both hands outstretched towards us, full of what we need.