God with you

A recent revelation has revolved around the theme of there being no need to ask God for things. I feel it’s second nature for us most times to seek God, but also bring a list of things we need. We forget so easily that He already knows.

When I was listening to a sermon about the Israelites in the wilderness -the grumbling, complaining, whining lot of them, I remember thinking “wow, these guys were so ungrateful, God actually made Himself seen / His presence known in many way AND He was with them day & night as a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire. Come on how do you see A PILLAR OF FIRE right in front of you and still doubt and question!? These guys were soo blessed and they still struggled to trust??”

I feel today we are no better than the Israelites. It’s so humbling to become aware of this.
[ *Sidetrack - I’m starting to love how God doesn’t give up on us but find subtle ways -eventually not so subtle ways to help us realise we have strayed and bring us back to Him. Just how amazing is that…That He waits for us, is patient with us and genuinely wants us, his children to return to him. We truly have such an enormously generous and gracious Father. When they say Jesus didn’t want heaven without us…God doesn’t want heaven without us either. He’s so so good to want to share His kingdom with every single one of us. I mean my God is the BEST God! He is THE God. He The One!! Love Him. ]
The point is, Our Heavenly Father already knows what we need. If He could send His only son for our salvation, knowing very well what He would have to go through what would The Father not do…for us.

⁷  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you needbefore you ask him.

[ Matthew 6:7-8 ]

²⁸  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. ³⁰  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

[ Matthew 6:28-32 ]

But that’s not all. The Scripture tells us that God actually wants things to be good for us.

²⁸  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

[ Romans 8:28 ]

All we need to have on our list, is to ask God to help us draw closer to Him. Ask him to soften our hearts and for the Holy Spirit to come in to our lives and teach us how to be more like Christ and less like ourselves.

²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

[ Ezekiel 36:26-2 ]

³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

[ Matthew 6:33 ]

In the last weeks I was made aware of the magnitude Paul and Silas’ story. All they did was praise and worship God. In their time of trouble their faith was unshakable and they seeked to glorify The Father, rejoicing in His goodness and mercy and God who is all knowing simply made a way for them. The presence of God in their midst was all that was required for Paul and Silas to be given what they required, in that moment it was freedom.

²²  The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. ²³  After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴ When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. ²⁷ The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

[ Acts 16:22-28 ]

Note *
- The crowds at Philippi, a Roman colony were against Paul and Silas.
- They were beaten and severely flogged
- Special orders for the jailer to guard them carefully
- They were placed not just in any cell but an inner cell meaning they couldn’t run even if they tried
- Their feet were fastened in stocks further restricting any delusions they might entertain about breaking out

This was an impossible situation for man to handle but so simple for God. And just think…if Paul were to ask God for help he’d have to list out each of the above points and add many more for safe passage and then some more to avoid being convicted by the Romans in the future. The list would have been endless.

As we become more like God and less like us, God will bless us and His goodness and grace will follow us for all our days. God will do it. Because he said he will.

³³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. ³⁴  The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. ³⁵  They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.” ³⁶ Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’

[ Ezekiel 36:33-36 ]

When we pray let’s pray for God to draw us closer to Him and never let us stray.
Let’s ask God to soften our hearts, remove our desire of the flesh.
To reveal His will for us and grant us the spiritual insight and wisdom to understand and accept the divine plans He has for us. Let’s ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we become more like Him and less like us. Let’s recall the following words and know in our heart of hearts this is God’s promise to us and God’s word is true yesterday, today and tomorrow.

¹¹  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

[ Jeremiah 29:11 ]

♡ Yas.

[ The inspiration for the prayer outline is by my amazing sister in Christ, Anne. She shares great insight on The Word and is truly inspiring in her faith. Find her at https://annethanyamendis.medium.com ]