THE LORD CARES FOR ALL OUR NEEDS
The Bible says, God “satisfy the needs of every living thing” (Psalm 145:16). He satisfied the needs of people in the Old and New Testaments. And “God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
EXAMPLE OF GOD MEETING NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
In the Old Testament, a poor widow with a little boy shared the last food she had with a prophet of the Lord and was waiting to die. There was very little food left due to a long drought in the land. Nevertheless, God had told his prophet Elijah to go to this widow’s house because, “I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”
When Elijah arrived at the widow’s house, he asked her to bring him some water and a piece of bread. Thinking he was the Lord’s prophet, she replied that she did not have any bread. She said she only had a handful of flour and a little olive oil. And that she was planning to “make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it–and die.”
However, Elijah told her to first make a small loaf of bread for him, then make something for herself and her son. For he said the Lord told him: “ the jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain.” She did as Elijah said; and they ate food every day.
Sometime later, the woman’s son became very ill and died. The woman was very distraught. She said, man of God, “Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son? Elijah prayed, “Lord, my God let this boy’s life return to him.” The boy’s life returned. Elijah gave the boy to his mother alive. The woman’s faith in God was validated and increased. (1 Kings 17:7-24).
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST MEETS NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18).
“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). Jesus raised a man named Lazarus back to life who had been dead for at least four days; told eyewitnesses: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” ) John 11:25-26, 43)
THE LORD GOD STILL MEETS OUR NEEDS TODAY
I witnessed the Lord taking care of a needy old man. Pastor Carr, who married me and my wife was aging, becoming progressively less able to care for himself, and evidently lonely. He was no longer pastoring a church; his wife had died; and his children were grown living with families of their own.
In addressing his loneliness, the Lord assigned the Pastor the job of doing marriage counseling with me and my, who had been separated from one another. On an occasion when he was meeting with us, I heard him say, “I wondered why God left me here.” My wife who often visited and talked with him on the phone said, he believed a big reason God left him here was to counsel and help her with problems she was having.
To meet many of his personal needs the Lord impressed one of the Pastor’s son to move with his wife into the Pastor Carr’s house. The wife was a professional caregiver. She cooked, cleaned and cared for his need like he was her natural father.
My seeing how the Lord God took care of the needs of a person who trusted him, strengthened my own faith in the Lord care for his people.
The infallible word of God assures believers: “I will never leave nor forsake you” (Hebrew 13:5). “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). And “God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
