The Lord God Withholds Nothing Good

What do you need?

You likely think your answer to that question is dependent upon who’s asking you the question and what’s going on when they ask you. But it’s even more fluid than that. For most of us, our needs are constantly changing and shifting. And an embarrassingly long. We need a lot of stuff. What we need at work isn’t what we need at home or what we need when we’re traveling. Do you remember a time when you could leave the house with just a set of keys and maybe a couple of bucks in your back pocket? Nowadays, we need cash and cards, phones and chargers, glasses and of course our favorite cup or water bottle. And that’s just to go to the store! Where we’re going to buy more stuff that we need! We are far more needy people than we may realize.

Our needs seem to be dictated by our unique circumstances, particular settings, and special situations. The things we need seems to change throughout the course of our lives. What we need today isn’t exactly the same as what we needed ten years ago. And what we need today isn’t the same as what our parents or our kids need.

But maybe the reason each of us thinks we have different and distinct needs is because we aren’t thinking about needs properly. Paul, God’s Apostle, wrote to his young pastor protege Timothy 1 Tim. 6:6-8 Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

He goes on to contrast that approach with those who incessantly need a little more. Instead of gaining joy or contentment, they follow a path of foolish and harmful desires that plunge them and those they are connected with into ruin and destruction, misery and despair. Why did this happen? Well, in part, because they didn’t know what they needed.

Knowing what you actually need is a constant struggle in life, isn't it?

Our working concept of what we need is whatever keeps our lives humming along and problem-free. But that view can ruin us.

We think we know what we need, and then we see someone else who seems to be happy and their lives are filled with different things, more things, better things. And suddenly, we feel this deep yearning to get what they’ve got. That’s how the path of ruin and destruction, misery and despair starts.

Our hearts and minds quickly deceive us and turn niceties into needs. So what we really need is someone who knows us, loves us, and understands our needs better than we do.

In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us that God, our Heavenly Father, knows exactly what we need. Mt. 6:25 Do not worry about your life—what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Mt. 6:32 The pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But life is about more than food and drink and clothes. Not only do we not need everything we think need. Ironically, we need more. God knows this. And he provides it, too.

In Psalm 84, we read: The Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.

The Lord Almighty does not withhold good things from us. That’s why he sent his Son into this world. Our hearts and minds don’t just confuse niceties and needs, but they mistake good for bad, and try to make wrong look right. Because of our sins, we need a perfect Savior.

So Jesus came to be what we actually needed. He was perfect in thought, word, and deed. He never confused niceties with needs. He was humble. Grateful. Joyful. Godly and content. Not only that, but Jesus paid the price for our presumptuousness. He shed his blood for all our sins—including our discontentment. He has gifted us his blameless life. Jesus died and rose again so that he might be able to give us life to the full.

What is that life full of? Faith. Hope. And Love. Which together produce a harvest of righteousness—contentment and godliness. Because, we know how much our powerful and wise Creator loves us. He didn’t spare his one and only Son. He’s not pinching pennies now. In fact, he’s actively making sure that we have everything we actually need and keeping from us things that would lead us astray.

So this Thanksgiving season, remember that God knows what you actually need. Not just for your body, but for life to the full. Thank him for his generosity and for all the niceties too.