Sometimes it’s hard to know what I really need.
Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and my husband Ken Tada is the same. There are lots of times he doesn’t know what he needs either. Like his little white Chevy truck. Ken’s been driving that thing around for 6 or 7 years now. He drives it when he goes down to San Diego to fish; he drives it when he and his friend take the dogs hunting up near the high desert. He drives his little truck to the mountains when he goes fly fishing. It’s even the preferred vehicle when he makes a run to the market. Well, for some time now, I know Ken has been itching to trade in his Chevy truck for a new one. There’s nothing really wrong with it; you know, he just thinks it’s time for a new one. In fact, this week the truck’s engine wouldn’t turn over a few times. Ken snooped under the hood and he found an electrical problem in the starter. He came back into the house and announced, “Yep, I need a new truck.” I kind of glanced at him sideways, because I knew what he was thinking. We do not need a new vehicle.
So, you will never guess what the sermon was this past Sunday. There Ken and I were sitting in the pew and the sermon was on Philippians 4:19 where it says, “… my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Well, I tell you…talk about fitting the moment! And you can guess what the message centered on: how sometimes (no, I take that back) many times we confuse our needs with our wants. Because God knows what we need: we need food, we need shelter, bread, water, friends, family, and faith. But too often we are influenced by advertisements, the magazine rack, things our neighbors own, television and radio… all of it telling us that we really do need the new ball-shaped pivot Dyson DC-24 vacuum cleaner – the one that effortlessly zigzags and maneuvers around furniture, accessing tight spaces that previously required a Dustbuster.
Or we tell ourselves that we really must get with the times and trade in our old flip phone for the new iPhone 4s with the dual core chip and eight MP camera and optics with video capability and voice recognition, the most amazing iPhone yet! My goodness, just the other day as we were heading for the airport, a friend told me that I really needed that new iPhone app that tells you in advance what gate your plane is leaving from, if it's on time, what seat number you have, which baggage carousel will have your luggage when you get there.
You know what? I don’t need that. I may want it, and God may graciously give it, but I don’t need it. Philippians 4:19 tells me that “… my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” It’s the Lord who reserves the right to determine just what our needs are, and He will meet them. And He’ll do it according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. That is, He will give gifts that are fitting, that are commensurate with who He is. So the God of all encouragement will give what we need: extraordinary courage. The God of all comfort will give us what we need: comfort that will see us through every grief. The God of all peace will give us a quiet heart. The God of all love will give what we need: joyful satisfaction in Him. And, yes, food, clothing and shelter. These are the things I need; the things that Ken needs. I talk a little more about this in a video I posted on my radio page and I’d love for you to take a look at joniandfriends.org. And when you do, join me in being content with what God has given you, because it is exactly what you need.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
© Joni and Friends