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“You do not need that.”
SOAR.
It’s a youth conference held every summer with thousands of teens attending. For three days, kids hear incredible teaching and preaching from men who are devoted to the truth and mission of God. The week is packed with fun activities, games, and time spent with their church groups.
Parents send their kids with money to last them the three days – food for the way there, while there, and the way back. There’s usually some downtime during one of the days when groups go do something fun together. Our group would make a stop at the mall.
And it never failed. After three hours, they would load the bus, and there would always be at least one with the goofiest hat you can imagine.
One that cost more than they should have spent. And when the truth came out, they had no money left for food on the trip home.
“Why did you buy that knowing you were going to need that money for food?”
The reply was always the same – “I needed it.”
And our response – “You do not need that.”
As much as I want to call out these kiddos for buying junk they did not need and being irresponsible with the money they had, the truth is, I think we’ve all been guilty.
Maybe not with a crazy hat. But how often are we purchasing something and confusing a “need” with a “want”?
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.”
Paul knew what it was to have his needs provided for. He was in prison, under house arrest, in Rome, with no way to provide anything for himself. And God always provided what he needed, often through others, like the believers in Philippi.
You may be thinking “how can you say God provided everything he needed? He was in jail!”
I think we often confuse our wants and our needs. We have this picture of what our life should look like and what we need to be happy. But God might see that a little differently.
He has a mission, and He chooses us to be part of that mission. And He gives us what we need in order to accomplish the mission He has set before us. And it’s not the same for everyone.
Yes, everything belongs to Him. Yes, He has the power and ability to give you everything. But don’t confuse your want with your need.
Let the cross be our reminder.
Could there have been another way? Was the crucifixion what Jesus wanted? He knew He needed to do the will of the Father.
After being stripped, beaten, mocked, and nailed to the cross for hours of suffering, Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
The tables have turned. I’m now the teenager getting on the bus, and God is looking at me saying, “You don’t need that.”
What are we getting on that bus with? What are we desperately asking God for, and He, knowing our future and the plans He has for us, lovingly says, “You don’t need that”?
God is ready and able to supply everything we need. Let us come to His throne in prayer with His mission in mind as we ask Him to provide.
To better understand the mission of God and how we fit into it, go to follow.lifeword.org.
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