Morning Moments

Phil 4:19 says, "...my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Did you ever have a need you did not realize you had? All my Christian life I have sometimes been too analytical and introspective. I confess this to you and Father. Both can be good, but as with practically everything else there is a flip side.

As most of you know I am recovering from a couple of "minor" physical problems that had slowed me down of late. Frankly it has been a bit discouraging for me. I will not try to be phony about it and I don't want you to be superspiritual about it either. Things come and they pass...BUT it is the waiting for them to pass that most of us struggle with at times.

Well, yesterday my feet (gout) and my knee (torn cartilage) were giving me a fit and distracting my work. I became a "little" discouraged. It got worse last night to the point that I could barely walk. Finally, I cried out to God in my despair and said, "Okay, if you can receive more glory from my pain than from my "productivity" I accept this gladly."

Well, guess what? Today I am much better. The point is that sometimes our need is not what we think it is. I thought my need was for physical improvement, but it wasn't that at all. It was for spiritual improvement - that I might place my will in neutral and received pain with the same gladness I receive pleasure.

I no longer care about the pain, but I do care about the gain. The pain is physical; the gain is spiritual and that is the case whether physical, social, domestic, vocational, emotional, or whatever. It is as David who looked past the Giant to His God.

Now here is the clincher for me. As I sat in tormenting pain. I received an e-mail from someone I only met once 30 years ago. Now Hear This! He is a minister of the Gospel and said to me, "I still listen to tapes you made 30 years ago and find great encouragement in them."

It was one of the most encouraging words I have ever received. And it came out of nowhere! Not from some lifelong friend I have kept in touch with for years, but from a brother whose heart was open to the Lord, who ran me down, and brought me a great word of encouragement in my light afflictions.

MY God shall supply ALL your NEED according to HIS riches in glory by Christ Jesus. My how He loves us.

BLESSINGS!