God’s Plentiful Supply

God’s plentiful supply is for each one! When we look at the names of Christ, my mind goes to “Jehovah Jireh” – my provider. He is our provider. He is the full and plentiful supply for us. That is one of His names. A name is very important. When someone has a child, they think very carefully before choosing the name. The name is what everyone wants to know – what is it, what does it mean? There’s value in a name. His name is our provider (Genesis 22:14). He has given us His name.

The bible is full of examples of how God meets the needs of His people both practically and spiritually – Every aspect of life matters to God. He tells us not to worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ – He provides for us in the natural life as well as in the spiritual.

Elijah was a great man of God who had a glorious victory against the powers of darkness. I’m sure he felt he was standing alone, which he was in one sense as God’s man of the hour. He saw a great victory against the power of Baal. You can feel the anointing of God on that victory. Very shortly after we read he is threatened by Jezebel. A strong man, who knows the God he’s representing, is fearing for his life. He is broken and prays to die:

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness,
and came and sat down under a broom tree.
And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough!
Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
1 Kings 19:4This is a man who was standing on Mount Carmel, proclaiming to the powers of darkness the power and authority of his God, unafraid. Yet within days, he is praying that he might die. He’s had enough. Have you ever been there? Have you ever thought you’d had enough, you don’t know how much more you can do or take, or perhaps you don’t know how to bear the burden? Perhaps it’s in your work for God, your personal life, your professional life. Sometimes we can be like Elijah and run to the broom tree. We might not have thought we want to die, but we might have got to the point where we feel we can’t take any more.

Remember He is the God of our supply. He is our Father! He comes to help us. What father on earth will hear his child ask for bread and give him a stone? (Matthew 7:9). He would feed him. Our God, being greater than earthly fathers, will give us all things we need! We can run to Him in times of need. We can sit at His feet and say Lord, I don’t think I can take any more. At that point we truly find what that plentiful supply means.

We will always be the children of God. It’s finding that Father-heart of God that reveals to us the key which opens the door into His storeroom. We can go every time we’re in need and find the supply! Christ becamethe door. It’s an open door when we’re in need, when we’re spiritually hungry and when we’re thirsty. We have the key because we have Christ!

A dear old man used to tell us a story in church to illustrate God’s plentiful supply. He would ask us to imagine he’d invited us to a banquet. He’d tell us about the delicious, elaborate spread on offer – the succulent meats, the bright and crisp vegetables and so on – how soon we’d feel ravenous and ready to eat. But if he then turned around and said to us “goodbye, off you go home now”, without letting us eat anything, how disappointed we would feel! We need never be disappointed; we need never be turned away from the table that God provides for us. The table where needs are met.

We just need to look to the cross. We need to look at Christ. Think about how He gave Himself for our provision. While on earth, He walked amongst the people and was moved with compassion. People followed Him wherever He went. In that culture, they were physically hungry. They were poor and needy. Christ was moved with compassion to meet their needs. He healed their sick so that the lame walked, the blind could see, and those that were dead were raised. Yet we think our problems are too big for God to sort.

In the story of the feeding of the 5,000, the disciples would’ve turned them away because they didn’t have enough food. They would have sent them to neighbouring villages to buy their own. But Jesus said to them:

“They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
Matthew 14:16The disciples then observed they only have five loaves and two fish. Yet Christ taking the loaves and fish, gives thanks and broke the loaves and tells them to start sharing it. After all have eaten, we read:

So they all ate and were filled, and they took up
twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.
Matthew 14:20He doesn’t provide ‘just enough’. He gives a plentiful supply! He gives more than we will ever need! He offers to us the route into the storeroom. His death provided for us the way into that plentiful supply. He’ll always be with us – He’ll never forsake us. Like a Father feeds his children, like a shepherd leads his sheep, so the Lord provides for us.

What is your need today? Bring it to Him. Spread it out before Him. We have a God who has a plentiful supply!

Amen.