I started my look at God’s promises with His promise of love––unconditional and eternal––because I believe love is our most basic need. THEN I did a bit of a refresher course on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and learned that he believed our physiological and safety needs preceded our need for love and belonging. And that is true. If we cannot sustain our physical life, then our emotional life will not matter.
However, though love and the sense of belonging among humans may come third in the hierarchy, I still believe that God’s love for us––that love which cannot be separated by “death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing” (Romans 8:38-39), is our foundation. It is because of His immeasurable love that we can rest in his other promises, such as His Promise of Provision.
Since the creation, when God provided for every need that Adam and Eve had (both before and after the fall), God has provided the basic needs for his people (as He did by providing manna and quail in the wilderness), and promises to continue to do so. The following verses are a few reminders of this promise.
In Matthew 6:25-33 Jesus exhorts his listeners not to worry about the basics, pointing to the birds and lilies and reminding us that the Father has taken care of them and that He “knows that [we] need all these things,” as well. He then tells us to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Paul tells us in Philippians 4:19 that “… my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” and then in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!”
Through Asaph the psalmist, God reminds us that “I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (Psalms 81:10)
David, in the well known Psalm 23, begins with the comforting reminder that "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing."
And then, of course, the ultimate reminder, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
Does this mean we will never hunger or be in need of money or housing? No. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, we have had to experience lack and work for our provision. But God does promise that He knows our needs and will take care of us, so let us not lose faith but during times of need. Let us lay those needs before the One who always keeps His promise and trust Him.
However, though love and the sense of belonging among humans may come third in the hierarchy, I still believe that God’s love for us––that love which cannot be separated by “death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing” (Romans 8:38-39), is our foundation. It is because of His immeasurable love that we can rest in his other promises, such as His Promise of Provision.
Since the creation, when God provided for every need that Adam and Eve had (both before and after the fall), God has provided the basic needs for his people (as He did by providing manna and quail in the wilderness), and promises to continue to do so. The following verses are a few reminders of this promise.
In Matthew 6:25-33 Jesus exhorts his listeners not to worry about the basics, pointing to the birds and lilies and reminding us that the Father has taken care of them and that He “knows that [we] need all these things,” as well. He then tells us to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Paul tells us in Philippians 4:19 that “… my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” and then in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!”
Through Asaph the psalmist, God reminds us that “I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (Psalms 81:10)
David, in the well known Psalm 23, begins with the comforting reminder that "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing."
And then, of course, the ultimate reminder, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
Does this mean we will never hunger or be in need of money or housing? No. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, we have had to experience lack and work for our provision. But God does promise that He knows our needs and will take care of us, so let us not lose faith but during times of need. Let us lay those needs before the One who always keeps His promise and trust Him.
RSS Feed