Yesterday was grocery day. Some weeks the cart is full enough I think pushing it should count as some kind of weight training. I got all the supplies. I bought everything on the list. And then it happened, just like every other week. I no sooner got everything put away when someone discovered that there was something else we’d run out of.
But maybe this is just a reminder of how God intends it to be. Look at how the Israelites “shopped” in the desert after God rescued them from captivity in Egypt (Exodus 16). God took them to a place where there wasn’t any other source of food than what He supplied. He gave them bread in the morning and meat in the evening. And then He set it up so that every day they used up what He had given. Every day they had to rely on God to give more.
I have to admit that there are some days when I feel I have used up every ounce that God has given me. I don’t have anything left to give. My supplies are all gone. And then I need to go back to the Supplier and ask for more. And maybe that’s exactly how He wants it – me recognizing my need, and going to Him right away to fulfill it.
Because God is a good dad who responds to our needs, we know that we can “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:16). Too many times we come like we expect a tongue-lashing for asking. Or like we can’t imagine that God would want to respond to our needs. I imagine my kids asking me for deodorant the way I sometimes approach God – “Mom, I need some more deodorant. But only if it’s your will. If you don’t want me to have it, then I’ll be ok. I don’t want it if it’s too much trouble.”
God says to come boldly, with confidence. Not only that, He wants us keep coming. We don’t just get a one-time audience before the throne. Whenever we need it, every time we need it, we will find grace. We know this because the Bible says “Keep on praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). And Jesus told us, “Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks” (Matthew 7:7-8).
So if you feel that you have used up all that God has given you, have the audacity to ask for more. Go to your good Daddy and tell Him you used up everything He gave you and now you need more. He isn’t keeping a list, waiting until there are enough things you’ve run out of before He goes to the store. He’s already purchased everything that you will ever need at Calvary.
Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else? Romans 8:32
When you come before Him, is God going to say, Weren’t you just here last week? Sorry, I’m all tapped out. Of course not! God paid for every need that will ever be on our list with the precious blood of Christ. What value could we possibly place on that? The amount of righteousness that was credited to our account when Christ died for our sins is infinite – it’s an open line of credit. We will never reach the end of God’s limitless supply of grace.
When Jesus fed the multitudes, He didn’t tell them to only take one small serving to be sure there was enough. He gave more and more bread until everyone was satisfied and there were leftovers (Matthew 14:20). That means there was enough for people to go back for a second helping. Maybe you’ve taken a small serving of grace, because you didn’t want to be too much of a bother. God says, Take a big helping. Come back for seconds. And then thirds. Come back as often as you can. Keep on asking. I have plenty to give.