Think On These Things
Martha WainrightGladstone, Missouri
It is the Lord who supplies our needs – Spiritual, physical, financial, emotional, mental, etc. Whatever needs we have, and we have many, our entire well being is dependent on the Lord. The unsaved person may think that he is responsible for his own welfare and gives credit to himself for the meeting of his needs and desires. We can see God’s grace displayed to unbelievers in this by the withholding of His judgment (at this time), when men are taking credit and glory for their achievement.
Even as Christians, we may take God’s supplying of our needs for granted. It is easy to glorify our job and our own intellect and ability as the source of our income and success. The Lord uses these things in our behalf, but the thanks and glory should go to the Lord.
When we have needs and we pray about them, with thankfulness to the Lord for His faithfulness in our behalf, we need to be aware that the Lord may answer that request and meet our need in a way that we would not suspect. God is not a “methodist” – he does not answer the same way each time. Some answers appear to be miraculous, some answers are quick, some are long-coming. The Important thing is to continue to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart,” and “lean not to our own understanding” -Proverbs 3:5. Feelings are deceiving, so undependable. Our stability is in our Rock and Fortress Christ Jesus – Psalm 31:3.
In Matthew 8 we read of several physical needs, and the Lord answered in different ways: Jesus spoke the word and the centurion’s servant was healed – Verses 5-13. Previously, Jesus had put forth His hand and touched a leper. “Immediately his leprosy was cleansed – Verses 2-4. Again, it is recorded in verses 14-18, that Jesus touched the hand of Peter’s Mother-in-law, and she arose.
In Matthew 9 the Lord touched the eyes of two blind men and their eyes were opened. So it is that sometimes we need Jesus to speak to our heart, maybe another need will necessitate a touch on the hand so to speak, and then again maybe we need our eyes touched. This implies Spiritual “doves” eyes to understand the working of the Lord in our lives.
John tells us of a man born blind who was healed by the Lord. What is unusual is that the Lord “spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle. He anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay, then instructed him to wash in the pool of Siloam. “He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.” This is not a lesson on healing, but an illustration through scripture of how the Lord works in a variety of ways to meet our needs. The clay would speak of earthly things. Although the Lord may use our jobs, people, etc., to meet needs, we should ultimately worship the Lord as the blind man did, and give Him the glory.
