Easter Devotional | 2019 - Day 7

He Will Meet All of My Needs

By Shelly Taylor

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19

In Kids Cove, we teach children great, big truths. We teach them foundationally, according to their development, line upon line, precept upon precept. Often times, I literally have chill bumps when the big truth we are teaching children is one I literally cling to in my own life. We take these truths and teach them to kids, and then the LORD reminds us as leaders that the same truth we are teaching is and should be the core of our own belief. But do we really believe? Do our lives mirror that belief?

2018 was the most difficult year of my life physically. After two minor knee surgeries, I had to have a major third surgery for a bilateral knee replacement. As I waited several months for my surgery, my mobility was very much compromised. Every day the pain would increase, and I would push through—just like you would—because that’s what we do. Right? I really had to depend on others to help me with some of the most basic tasks at home and work. It was frustrating and painful.

While waiting for my surgery date, I cannot tell you how many times the LORD reminded me that He would provide me with exactly what I needed. This was one of those truths we so often taught our children. God will give you exactly what you need to accomplish His purposes. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” It was almost funny how in my extreme worry, the LORD would send someone to me who had been through the exact surgery and even had my same surgeon, believe it or not.

As my surgery date drew near, I began to experience a lot of anxiety. I am not normally an anxious person; however, I was finding myself very anxious, afraid of going under the anesthesia, afraid of complications during surgery, and afraid that the surgery would not correct all the issues I was experiencing. I was worried about being out of the office and not able to serve our children and families at the level I desired to serve. I wanted my normal life back, and yet I was a bundle of anxiety, trying to take life a moment at a time, because if I thought too far ahead, I grew overwhelmed.

But then, I was reminded of another one of those foundational truths: Psalm 56:3. “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” I had taught this truth to my three children and to all our children at First Dallas. I was afraid, and I needed to place all my trust in Him, because He cared for me, and He would provide me with exactly what I needed to accomplish His purposes!

“Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right Hand,” as it says in Isaiah 41:10. This was the very verse Alan Lynch and John Cullen read to me at the hospital right before my surgery. I did not need to fear. He was with me. He would not leave me. Matter of fact, He was strengthening me—my heart, my mind, and my knees! He was holding me up. Even if, at times, I felt like I was falling, I wasn’t. He was holding me by His righteous right hand. I could trust Him. I could relax. I did not need to worry.

Many of us entered this year with great excitement for all the new things ahead. Many of us may be fearful today of what the future will hold. Are you afraid today? Afraid of a diagnosis, or afraid of how you will cover all your expenses this month? Are you anxious about a broken relationship, or an expectation that you might not be able to meet? Whatever your fear, remember that foundational promise: your God will meet all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Live by this promise. His riches in glory are inexhaustible, and we have that promise of future grace. He will meet all of our needs—today and tomorrow. That’s the future grace for which we are so thankful.

I love how John Piper described this state of mind when fighting fear and anxiety. When he is anxious and battling unbelief, he described how the motor of his mind is in neutral as he listens to the hum of the gears. That humming sound is the truth of Isaiah 41:10: fear not for I am with you. He’s got you, and He’s got me! What a safe and exciting place to be as we serve Him in this incredible church. Because He lives, I know He will meet all of my needs according to His limitless riches in glory.


Questions for Thought

  1. Is there a circumstance in your life where you need to take a deep breath and trust that the Lord will provide?
  2. Are you anxious today? What is it that you need to lay at His feet today? He will provide you with exactly what you need to accomplish His purposes in your life.

Daily Challenge

Take a few moments to sit down with a sheet of paper and list what concerns you. After completing your list, turn your paper on the other side and write down all of the blessings you are experiencing in life right now.




Author Bio

Shelly Taylor

Shelly is passionate about serving in preschool and children’s ministry as these are the years when boys and girls are introduced to Jesus Christ for the very first time. Married to Tye for over 20 years, Shelly has three children and two grandchildren.