Allow God to provide for you on his terms

We’ve all probably heard the saying that something – clothes, figure/physique, chocolate – is to die for, meaning it was highly desirable.

The Christmas season has been upon us in a commercial sense since before Halloween, with some Black Friday sales already started, though Thanksgiving isn’t until next week.

While I haven’t heard “to die for” used in any sales pitches yet, the products being hawked on TV are billed with the concept that they’re the latest and greatest, and you simply cannot live without them.

We like giving to die for gifts to those who really want them because we get to see the joy expressed when they open the present, especially by children. That’s one of the main reasons we ask them for a Christmas wish list, besides just getting ideas so we don’t have to think hard about what they actually might want or need.

God is the giver of every great and perfect gift and although he knows beforehand what we want and need, he still wants us to present our wish list (James 1:17-18; Matthew 6:5-8; Psalm 37:4).

Just like us, God already knows what we want, but he grants what we need, which always turns out to be better, even beyond our imagination, than what we wanted (1 Corinthians 2:9-16; Ephesians 3:20-21). That’s why we’re to pray confidently with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:4-6; Hebrews 4:16).

Prayer isn’t a carte blanche to get whatever we want, particularly frivolous things; we must align our desires with God’s will to bring him glory (1 John 5:14-15; Matthew 7:7-11; 6:25-33; James 4:3).

This actually can include riches and other material blessings (2 Corinthians 9:6-11). The New King James Version of 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 indicates Jabez’s desire to avoid evil and not cause any pain (Matthew 6:9-13).

That kind of righteous life really is to die for. Jesus came to earth to provide righteousness (Matthew 20:25-28; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Peter 1:18-25; Romans 3:21-26; Hebrews 12:2).

To attain his righteousness for ourselves, we also must die to sin, putting our sinful nature to death as we’re united with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:16-23, 3-13). If we allow our sinful nature to remain alive and in control, we’ll face spiritual death, which is total and eternal separation from God experiencing pain beyond our imagination (Mark 9:40-48; Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10).

Romans chapter 6, cited above, describes baptism – immersion in water to have our sins forgiven – as the only method God provides to fulfill righteousness, which also makes us God’s child and a co-heir with Jesus (Acts 2:38-39; Matthew 3:13-17; Galatians 3:26-29; 4:6-7; 5:24-25; Romans 8:9-17).

So, material things aren’t bad, in and of themselves, and are actually good gifts from God to be used appropriately.

But, if you want to receive blessings beyond your imagination, allow God to provide for your needs that are to die for by presenting him with your life and wish list on his terms (Ephesians 1:3-14; Acts 19:1-5; Matthew 16:24-25; Romans 12:1).

Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected]