Is God enough for you?
Those are two really important questions for every person to consider.
How much time and effort have you put into truly considering if you are truly satisfied with God, and acknowledging that He is enough for you?
When God created Adam, He placed him in the Garden of Eden, where Adam could spend endless hours with all the creatures and beauty God had created for him to enjoy. The highlight of the garden was not all of the creation, but the Creator. Adam was able to enjoy unfettered intimacy with his Creator.
We presume that Adam was satisfied with God, and found Him to be enough. Adam didn’t ask for a helper. God doesn’t indicate Adam felt alone. I’m thinking that God so filled his day that Adam wasn’t lonely or dissatisfied. However, in God’s wisdom and eternal plans, Eve was created as Adam’s helper, and for procreation. In eternity with Jesus, when this world is no longer, Jesus will be our everything! We aren’t going to look to each other for anything. The Lamb of God, who died for our sins, will be the only One we have eyes for (John 3:16).
God could have created only Adam, kept him in the garden, and fellowshipped with him without interruption. But Godhad a bigger plan. He had a plan, determined before He created anything.
A plan that includes you and me. In order to get that plan accomplished, God determined that Adam should not be the only human, but that he should have a helper (Genesis 2:18). Thus, Eve was created for Adam. I assume from what we know in Scripture about the role of Christ’s followers, that Eve was to walk with God, and encourage Adam in that relationship, as they shared life in the garden together. She got that part wrong, and here we are, following in her footsteps, until we submit to Christ.
Adam and Eve were privileged to be the people the entire human race would descend from. God’s plan was a plan that allowed freedom to choose or reject Him. His plan was/is to have a multitude of people to share life with for eternity. That plan has not yet been completed, but is nearing its final days. God created Adam and Eve, you and I, and every person to bring Him glory. That should be our goal each moment of each day. How well are we living up to that expectation?
Jeremiah 17:5 tells us: “Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.”
There are many verses in Scripture that point us to turn to God, not man, for whatever we need in this life. He alone has the help and answers. As I often tell my grandbaby, ask Jesus for help, and he may send me, but always ask Him first. God is enough, but sometimes His help comes through His helpers.
God created people so that we can experience His presence and love. It is our role, for those of us who love and are committed to Jesus, to help others realize that Jesus can be their everything. Eve didn’t add “value” to Adam (his value, as is it is for all of us, is solely based in Jesus). She was his helper (that person who was God’s “hands and feet” to work alongside Adam, and have his children) . Our culture wants to condition us to look to people to satisfy our longings and needs. That is way too much pressure for us to put on people. Jesus told us to come to Him, to seek Him first and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33; Matthew 11:28).
Each day I learn more about utterly depending upon God to completely satisfy me, and be enough for me. The only times that doesn’t work is when I choose to turn to people before I run to Him for help.
When I allow God to be my everything, then I can love others selflessly, following the example of my Lord and Savior, Jesus.
When I am in that place where God satisfies me, then I don’t need to shop for stuff, I don’t need TV shows or books to entertain me, I am good in my own skin, not needing to impress anyone, not needing any person’s praise.
The question is, will I let Him be my everything? Will I let Him do what the Scriptures indicate?
Psalm 37:4 instructs us to: “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (NIV)
No person can ever give me the desires of my heart in the same way God can. That is because only God truly knows what is right for my life. His perspective is always eternal. Ours should be eternal, but too often we look at life through the lens of what is temporal.
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
Consider Jesus. When He walked on this earth, His Father satisfied Him, and was enough for Him. There is never an incident in Scripture where Jesus asked people for wisdom or insight to gain guidance or help for His decisions. Just the opposite. Jesus spent many hours seeking His Father to determine His thoughts on every matter (John 17).
Matthew 14:23 (partial verse): “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.”
Luke 3:21: “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened”
Hebrews 5:7: “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”
Jesus was able to go to the cross because obeying His Father was His goal. He was enough for His Son.
John 6:38: “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.”
John 5:19: “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
Jesus was able to bless people because He was fulfilled by His Father. Jesus wasn’t needy, and His true followers are not (at least we shouldn’t be) needy (not to confuse this with having physical needs, such as for food, clothing). Jesus looked to the Father to meet every need, setting the example for us (God knows what we need, and is prepared to meet those needs – Matthew 6:8-15; Matthew 6:25-33). When we allow Him to satisfy and fulfill our every spiritual need, the things of this world have such a diminished significance that we can live wholly, and holy, for Jesus.
When we are needy, then we cannot be the complete blessing to others that God has planned for our lives as His followers.
When we are needy, we need to run to the foot of the cross.
When we are needy, we need to not just sit at the foot of the cross when we get to it, but we need to prostrate ourselves at Christ’s feet, pouring out our hearts to the Lord.
When we are needy, we need to read God’s Word, and allow His Holy Spirit to fill us with His living water.
When we are needy, we need to confess that to those we trust who love Jesus, so they can pray for us as we seek God.
When we are needy, we should not expect anyone else to have the answers we need, except God alone. But God may use one of His “helpers” to encourage, strengthen, and point us in Jesus’ direction.
In the same way that Eve was meant to help Adam, and not to satisfy or fulfill his deepest longings, God’s people are to comfort, encourage, and help each other to worship and exalt Him.
Have you ever considered how different the outcome would have been had Adam and Eve turned to God when they felt unfulfilled and needy to the point they disobeyed their Creator, to heed the voice of another?
What voices do you allow to influence, guide and direct your life? If the voice of God is not the one you center upon, why not talk with Him about that so that you can experience complete satisfaction in Him, knowing He is enough?
If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, please don’t let another moment pass before you take the time to talk with God about your eternal welfare. He knows you are a sinner in need of the one and only Savior, the Lord Jesus. He is waiting for you to confess your need, and to ask for His forgiveness for your sins. He wants your life to be complete in Him. Will you do this now? There is no greater decision than this one. He wants you to allow His Holy Spirit to take over control of your life. I guarantee you will never regret this lifechanging decision.
If you decide to commit your life to Jesus, please let me know so that I can pray for you.
If you are already in a relationship with Jesus, please feel free to send me a prayer request.
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!
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Copyright 2020 Donna Shappy
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