All means all

And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Had communion at church this morning.  It was a very worshipful time.  The Worship Leader told this story:

Last weekend was Mother's day, and I had the pleasure of taking my wife (the mother of my two children), my mother, my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, and my kids out to a nice restaurant.  It was a very nice restaurant.  Now, being a preparing type of person, I looked up the restaurant on-line before making plans to go.  I was able to see this very nice restaurant beforehand, and view their menu.  The prices were very nice, as well.

Because I had looked at the prices beforehand, I was able to tell them to get anything they wanted.  I wasn't worried--I didn't think, "Oh, I hope they don't order THAT."  I had come prepared.  And believe me, the ladies did just that--they ordered EVERYTHING they wanted.  I didn't wince, or grimace; I just smiled, because I was prepared to pay the bill.

That's the way Jesus was at the Last Supper.  He sat His disciples down, and He let them know that He was sufficient for ALL their needs.  He extends the same grace to us today.  Do you need some more encouragement?  He is sufficient.  Do you need an extra helping of grace? Christ is sufficient.  There is no need that we have that He cannot fulfill.  For as often as we need Him, he is always there for us, prepared to meet our needs.

This story reminded me of a passage in Luke 12 that I had read this week.  I honestly had never seen it before.  Luke 12:35-38 says this:

Be dressed and ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.  I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.  It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night.

Jesus put those words into action just before the Last Supper.  John 13:1-5 says, "It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father.  Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God, and was returning to God.  So He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him."

This is a powerful story of Servant-Leadership, and is used as an example for the disciples (and us) to serve one another in love.  But according to Luke 12:37, Jesus wants to serve us all in that same way--He will leave the table (even where He is the guest of honor), roll up his sleeves and put on an apron, meet us where we are, and attend to our needs.

The Worship Leader at church this morning told another story about God's grace, and His ability to meet all of our needs.  When God called Moses to lead His people out of slavery and bondage, Moses was hesitant.

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is His Name?'  Then what shall I tell them?"  God said to Moses: "I AM WHO I AM.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' " --Exodus 3:13-14

God's answer was not limited.  If He had said, "I am Jehovah-Jireh", the Lord Our Provider, then the people would have sought Him for provision.  If He had said, "I am Jehovah-Rapha", the Lord Your Healer, then the people would have sought Him for health and well-being.  If He had said, "I am Jehovah-Sabaoth", the Lord Our Protector, then the people would have sought Him for protection from their enemies.  But God didn't say any of those things, because He is all of those things.  God said "I AM", and that identity allows, and even invites, us to seek Him for all our needs, in every situation.

What are you in need of today?  Do you need forgiveness and salvation, to restore fellowship with Him? He is able to meet that need for you.  Do you need love and acceptance? He is willing to meet that need in your life.  Do you need peace or joy, patience or kindness, faithfulness or self-control? These are the gifts of the Spirit, which are given to all freely, without cost, because Jesus Himself bore on Himself the cost of our Redemption.  All we need to do is to pray, believing.

"Is any among you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  --James 5:13-16

Just before the worship leader asked us to drink the cup in this morning's Communion service, he asked us to hold our cups over our heads.  He said that simple act symbolized our entire congregation, and each individual, being under the Blood of Jesus.  The Blood that washes us white as snow.  The Blood that covers us so that, when we stand before God at the Final Judgment, He will not see our sin.  The Blood without which there is no forgiveness of sin.  As the Senior Pastor said later in the service, what we call our needs (food, shelter, clothing, health, happiness) are important, but Jesus, and his blood sacrifice, are essential.  He knows what we need before we ask; He knows our needs better than we do ourselves; and He is sufficient to meet all our needs.

The Lord God is my Shepherd,
And I shall want no more.
Green pastures and still waters,
They will my soul restore. 

If I walk through Death’s shadow
No evil will I fear
For Thou, O Lord, are with me,
Thy rod and staff are near. 

A table’s set before me,
Before my jealous foes.
With oil my head’s anointed;
My cup now overflows. 

Follow me with Thy goodness
And mercy all my days,
And I shall live forever
Within Thy house of praise.