“You are God’s vessel of love to give to others.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 6, 2023
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
The essence of our great God is generosity. Generous with His Son, His Spirit and Himself. Generous with His grace, forgiveness and salvation. Generous with His love, comfort and mercy. Generous wisdom. Generous peace. Generous patience. Generous provision. Generous creation. Since generous is who He is, “[He] will supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
The Apostle Paul penned these comforting words to the Christians in Philippi. As he writes from a Roman prison, he is announcing firsthand, “my God,” yes, the Lord Christ was Paul’s personal Savior and Lord. Jesus called him by name on the road to Damascus, and now, in a dreary prison, his God is personally caring for His child imprisoned for his faith. Not obsessing over his injustice but reaching out to encourage other followers of Jesus that the Lord’s riches will meet their every need in Christ Jesus. Paul’s prison ministry softened the hard hearts for God within the confines of incarceration and outside drew hearts to God in the church community. His reminder to the Church at Philippi is the reciprocal result of their generosity to Paul, that their God, the Father of Jesus Christ, would supply all their needs. God’s riches bless generosity!
Indeed, the Lord works through His children to be generous to each other out of gratitude for God’s great riches to them. When you empty yourself for another, the Holy Spirit generously fills you up with the fruit of love, joy, peace, and wisdom. You are God’s vessel of love to give to those He brings into your life. Your part is to empty yourself with what He has given you, and then, by faith, bow with a humble heart to be filled back up in passionate pursuit of your Savior Jesus Christ. Vessels that fail to empty grow self-absorbed and bored by holding on to what’s meant to be given away. Listen to a friend and hear behind her words what she needs. Instead of saying, “Call me if you need me,” set a time to call those close to you and ask how you can pray for them, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you discern what they need. And maybe you just ask, “What do you need?” They may not know, or what they think they need may not be what they really need. Either way, you are God’s generous vessel to meet another’s felt and real needs.
I am also learning the more I grow in the faith, the more needy I am becoming. Needy to be loved and to love so my heavenly Father is glorified through my life. Needy for grace to season my every word so I can be a blessing and not a burden. Needy for friends to be in close proximity to my struggles and successes, so the accountability of their presence and love help remind me of why and how to finish well. Needy for my family to really know me and for me to really know them so we experience an authentic culture of care and prayer in our home. Needy to nurture my body so I can truly present it to my Creator as a living sacrifice of worship and service. Most needy for the community of the Father, Son and Spirit for peace, joy and wisdom.
So, as needy children of God, our Father meets our every need in Christ Jesus and fills us as His vessels so that we generously empty ourselves in love and service to others in joyful worship!
“They will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:13-15, ESV).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I am your needy child, so fill me with your love and grace and pour me out as a sacrifice of love in service to others through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name.
Application
What need is the Lord asking me to trust Him with, and what is one need He is asking me to meet in another’s life?
Related Reading
Proverbs 19:17; Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:8; James 1:17
Worship Resource
Emily Rose: Same God
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