2024) Teaching my young scholars there is a difference between wants and needs is difficult. Why? Because it’s difficult for adults to distinguish too. What I think I need may not really be classified as a need in God’s eyes.  

Having written these sentences, my mind goes immediately to a God who sits up in heaven, laughing at our expense and saying something like, Ha ha! I’m not answering you because that’s not a need. Too bad.

As I write those sentences, I’m a little sad because my image of God sometimes is a being who plays with our hearts and minds; doling out things to us when he feels like it.  

This is not a picture of the God of the Bible. He sent his son to us so we might have eternal life. He even cares about the sparrows so he must care about people. Philippians 4:19 tells us God will supply all we need and the Bible reveals to us he will give these things to us when we need them, not necessarily when we want him to.  

God always provides what we need and though this is not always in the timing and maybe even in the form we have imagined, he will do it.