I am the Vine, and you are the branches, for apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5).
Everything: (n.) ALL things in a group or class.
When God first revealed this word to me, for my blog, I couldn’t figure out where in the world we were going with it. Then again, that happens rather frequently with these words He’s been handing me. I soon realized that not every verse about “everything” worded it quite like that. Some of the verses say “all things,” which dances nicely with our definition, and so I looked for those verses, as well. Others (like our hinge pin verse) mention “nothing,” which is clearly the opposite of “everything” and also sheds light on His goodness.
As our definition says, this word pertains to all items belonging to a type or class of things. So, let’s dig into this a little bit and see just what God has to say about “everything.” What groups of things does God refer to in these ways?
- Time/seasons: “To everything, there is a season. A time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecc. 3:1). It goes on to tell about what there is time for: planting and harvesting, being born and dying, speaking and silence, binding and loosing, etc. Our God is a God of order, and He has ordered everything in our lives! He already knows the end, from the beginning. And so, we can rest in His order.
- What we can do through Him: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). God knows we face difficult days and experiences. In fact, He designed our lives this way so that we would be forced to depend fully on Him!
- What He has control/dominion over: “All things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes” (Romans 8:28). He did not say that all things ARE good, but that He can cause good to COME from all things! If you ask folks who have endured hard times, you’ll often hear them say years later, “I wouldn’t choose it…but I wouldn’t change it.”
- What we should pray about: “Be anxious for nothing. Pray about everything.” (Phil. 4:6). We are told to pray about all things, at all times! Can’t get much more clear than that, huh?
- How He provides for us: “My God shall supply all my needs, according to His glorious rices in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). He knows every need that we have, and has plans to meet them. Sometimes, we don’t know them as well as we think we do…and sometimes, we don’t know the best way to meet them…but God does! His Word also states that He is the God of all comfort and the God of all the wisdom we need! We serve a God who provides for us…though sometimes, we forget to ask him to!
- How we should love Him: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength” (Luke 10:27). We love because He first loved us. We are made in His image, and He loves completely…therefore, we are to love Him completely, that we might be complete!
- How we should trust Him: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6). When we live our lives in surrender to everything God wants for us, He is able to give the gifts He wants to give to us…good and perfect gifts!
“God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2Cor. 9:8). Simply put, He handles all things in all situations for all of our needs, to give us all we require to do all the things that He has for us to do!
I wrote a song several years ago, and the chorus says…Lord, you are my Everything! All I am, and all I’ll ever be. Guide me. Mold me. Shape me. Hold me. Make me more like Thee!” Yes, Amen!
Lord, Jesus, we can’t thank you enough! You use good situations and bad ones for our good. You show us how to love and trust you completely. You meet our needs abundantly. You show us how to pray to, love, and trust you completely. You have control over EVERY thing that happens to us, even when it doesn’t feel like it. You order every thing on earth, and you give us every ability we need to accomplish every purpose you have for us! Help us open our hands to receive these gifts from your hands. Help us walk in peace, each day, knowing that you’ve got us taken care of! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
He can only be our Everything…
when we give Him our everything…