I WANTED SOME POPCORN. My husband was preaching out of town and we were staying in a hotel. The church had provided a beautiful gift basket for us with lots of yummies in it. This one night, I was craving some popcorn. I “looked” in the basket from across the room, but didn’t see any.
Until, we got home and I started unpacking the basket and there was a package of microwave popcorn. Oh man! It was there the whole time. It’s such a small thing, but God knew what I wanted, had already provided; I just didn’t get up and seek. God is into the details. He cares about even the smallest things,
“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!”
Psalms 84:11-12
No good thing will He withhold to those who love and follow Him. Read that again. There’s a teaching out there that says “tell God what you want and He has to give it to you.” This is errant teaching that’s produces rotten, greedy people. God is a good Father who provides good gifts for His children, but He is not going to give you things that spoil you and make you rotten.
Scripture reveals that when our ways please Him, He does not withhold much from us. He is a Blesser and a rewarded of those who diligently seek Him. When our heart fully belongs to Him alone, He knows it. We aren’t ever fooling Him with lip service. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. But will you get up and seek? God had already provided a ram for the sacrifice of obedient Abraham,
“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns….And Abraham called the name of the place, The- LORD -Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”” Genesis 22:13-14
The Lord will provide. Jehovah Jireh- my Provider. Popcorn is a dumb, small thing and He provided before I even asked. He knows. It’s so reassuring that God knows what I want or need before I even ask. I imagine if I would have dug a little deeper, He would have revealed to me the popcorn had already been provided.
Please don’t miss what I am saying. Popcorn is not important. But I am important to my Lord. What do you need that you are not asking Him for? Maybe you don’t have because you don’t ask? Why not ask for the “silly” things? He has every right to tell me “No”. But I just might get a “Yes”. When our ways please Him, He does not withhold any good thing. When our desires are found to be according to His will, and we delight in Him alone, He will give us those “silly” desires of our heart.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.” Psalms 37:3-5
How much more so will He provide a ram for the sacrifice? If He gives those silly things, how much more the things we need for this life? ““Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt 6:31-33)
What are you worried about? Why are you anxious for things you cannot change? He is the God who provides. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness- just seek His face and obey like Abraham and God will provide. When will you lay everything down and trust Him? Surrender to His ways, give up your having to know and understand the how, what, when or why and take a good look in that basket of goodies.
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page