Real Provision

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” -Philippians 4:19–20 

Be content and be generous. This is the point of Paul's final chapter, and he has been building on finding strength, purpose, and peace in Jesus for all of life. Now come the choice words of being satisfied in little and in much, and of being willing to give it all away for the glory of God. 

Paul won't live much longer. His steadfast embrace of the Gospel, and his proclamation of the same, will lead him to a beheading before long; but the truths he deposits are gold for those in Christ. 

This is the story of God's real provision. The church has been generous, and Paul wants them to keep it up. Help fund Gospel ministry, help build other churches because of all you have been given in Christ. Then the only provision we need: every need met according to his riches. (This does not mean that God classifies your “desire” for something, say a Tesla, as a need. Here, we're talking about the real things of life.) 

Of course, first and foremost is the spiritual need of salvation, granted to us in Christ. But this promise is also for the practical things of life, when all seems hopeless. God provides. In that provision, the New Testament believers were generous to others. 

It is easier to recognize this from the place of contentment in knowing that because we have Jesus, everything else is gravy. So today maybe that is where we need to start. Holy Spirit, grant us this Christ-alone level of contentment that Paul writes about. Use it to make us generous people who can recognize the real provision we receive without fail.

This is an excerpt from Depths a daily devotional written by Jonathan Shradar.

Be Washed

"Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” -John 13:8 

The Disciples are gathered together for the Passover meal, and Jesus is giving his final words of instruction and hope to them. Then he gets to his knees and draws some water in order to wash the feet of the men who have been following him. 

What an absurd event. The honored man would never be the one to wash. But here Jesus is reordering the way of things. The servant is the leader. The Savior is the One to wash the filth off of the feet of his followers. At least Peter reacts to this cleaning by Jesus, a little appalled and desiring a whole-body wash. But Jesus says he must do this. It is the way of being made to wear his righteousness, to be cleansed of sin. 

We react much the same way to Jesus, don't we? We think we will clean ourselves up, fix what is broken, show Jesus how worthy we are. And his message is the same to us: “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 

Either Jesus does the cleaning, or you will never be clean. If you are not clean, you will not be with him for eternity. Jesus will certainly cause you to war against sin and to pursue the righteousness he grants you; but the once-for-all provision of spiritual washing comes only from him. 

This truth is meant for our refreshment and rest, that we would experience the same sensation that the disciples would. We, and they, rest in Jesus who is doing the work. All of our spiritual life is just like this. 

Today, let Jesus wash you. Be reminded of his work to clean you. You are clean. Be free.

This is an excerpt from Depths a daily devotional written by Jonathan Shradar.