When I just quickly think of the word provide, I am drawn to a physical need being met. That may be the case, however providing may be more abstract than that. Look here at the definition of provide in the English Language Learners Dictionary:
Provide: to supply what is needed for someone to live (http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/provide)
As I study, this morning, God has taken me to verses 15 and 14 of John chapter 14. I am sure that I have a number of typographical errors as I write, however this time I meant to place the verses in that order.
“15If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 14If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” – John 15:15 & 14 (ESV)
For me, reading the verses in this order define more clearly how it is that God will provide for our needs. If you will read on, I will explain my reasoning as to how and why it makes sense to me this way.
You see, I have to be invested in order to follow. Whether in my personal life, work life, spiritual life, or any other situation, without investment in something, I have little if any desire to stick with it. That investment is what drives us to continue and when we continue we are driven to be the best you can at it to be successful. When you stick with it, make it successful, you are rewarded.
God’s love drives should be driving us to stick with him and make him successful. The way that happens is for us to “keep” his “commandments”. When we keep the commandments of God and then ask him to provide for us, he will not disappoint.
I refer back to how I started this morning. When we think of providing, I am immediately drawn to the physical, but you can see that even in the definition, there is only reference to needs. It is we that think physical when what God provides for us to live is, in many cases, more than the physical.
God provides for us. We are tasked with obeying God and doing his commandments, also known as obeying his will. When we are obeying, God rewards us by granting the requests for help with those needs that arise.
When you think about the needs you have, do you start with looking at whether or not you have been obeying? Where can you be sure to know what actions you are to be taking are in accordance with God’s will? We demonstrate our love for God by obeying, are you? When you do ask God to provide, are you looking at the physical need, or are you looking for God’s answers to be bigger and more abstract? Are we loving to receive what God provides?
Trevor's Thoughts 