God’s Hand of Grace is Never Empty
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT)
When Annie Flint’s foster parents died, she had no one to care for her. Arrangements were made for her to live in a Sanitarium where her needs could be taken care of. Despite the sorrow of the loss of her adoptive parent and her home, Annie remained cheerful and optimistic. She was fond of jokes and enjoyed life as best she could. Her trials, however, extended beyond her physical needs. She also struggled financially.
She was generous by nature and eagerly shared what she had with others. But she was reluctant to receive from others. A friend who wanted to help her financially reminded her of the Words of Jesus quoted in Acts 20:35: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” She added: “There can’t be any givers from whom the blessing can come unless there are those who are willing to receive. It takes two halves to make a whole.” Annie realised that she couldn’t withhold the blessing of giving from others. She also realised that her pride and self-sufficiency were holding her back from receiving from those the Lord wanted to use to bless her. There were times she lived from hand to mouth. She would say, “The mouth was hers, and the hand was God’s, and His hand was never empty. She also realised that she couldn’t dictate to God how He would supply her needs. She had to trust Him to do it in His way.
El Shaddai – the All-Sufficient One
These are the words to the 3rd Stanza of her poem, He Giveth More Grace:
Fear not that your need shall exceed his provision
Our God ever yearns his blessing to share
Oh lean on the arms everlasting, availing
The Father both you and your load will upbear
She encouraged others with the lessons God had so lovingly and graciously taught her. Her encouraging words tell us that we need not fear that God will run out of the provision we need. Our Creator God created our universe out of nothing. Everything He has created belongs to Him. He will not run out of the resources we need to sustain us. He is El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient One, Almighty God who will supply all our needs.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)
Her words encourage us to lean on the everlasting and loving arms of our Heavenly Father. He will help us and bear our burden of lack. He will, out of His abundant storehouse, generously supply our need. He will do what only He can do – the impossible.
God is looking for those with whom He can do the impossible. What a pity that we plan only the things that we can do by ourselves. A.W. Tozer
Reflection:
Have there been times when your pride and self-sufficiency have prevented you from receiving the blessings God has for you?
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, that I need not fear that You will be unable to supply my need. Help me, Lord, to let go of my pride and self-sufficiency. Help me to lean on Your everlasting arms of love and trust You to supply all my needs out of Your abundant storehouse. In Jesus’ name, amen.
