GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU
GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU
One of the blessings of living in the Metroplex is the opportunity to be associated with some great preachers. The other day I had the privilege of enjoying breakfast with three of those great preachers. We sat and discussed the work and the history of the church. One of the men at the breakfast was brother Hardeman Nichols. We were asking brother Nichols to tell us some stories about his father, the late, beloved Gus Nichols. Many of you who read this article will know of the life and work of brother Nichols. Brother Hardeman related how that one time in the middle of the night, his dad received a call from a man who was in a local hotel saying he was going to take his life. His response to the man was that he didn’t need to do that. The man said, I don’t have anything to live for so I am going to take my life. Brother Nichols said, I’ll be right there.
Brother Nichols got out of bed and went to where the man was. He talked to him about how he was needed by his family and others. The man said, I don’t have anything. I don’t have any money to get home, I am useless. Brother Nichols had twelve dollars in his pocket. He was holding on to his last twelve dollars to buy his car tag. His car tag was due the following weekend. He had a preaching engagement on Sunday and he didn’t know if he would be paid enough to buy the car tag. Brother Nichols, trusting in God to provide for him, gave the man his last twelve dollars. His conviction was, "if a man doesn’t have some hope, he can’t survive." He made the man give his word that he would not take his life, but that he would go home and take care of his family. Brother Nichols related to his wife what had happened and she said, what if they don’t pay you enough on Sunday to take care of your car tag? He reaffirmed his belief that God would provide.
Brother Nichols went to preach on Sunday and one of the men in the church, who happened to be the Probate Judge asked to speak with him after the service. Brother Nichols said the Judge gave him a car tag and said, "I know you have trouble remembering your tag number, so I picked one out for you that will be easy for you to remember." Brother Nichols said, “I don’t have the money to pay for it right now.” The Judge said, “You don’t have to pay for it, I am giving it to you!” Brother Hardeman related to us how this was a great lesson for him to learn that God always provides.
David said, “I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25) While God has never promised to give us everything we want in our life, He has promised to fulfill our needs. Jesus said that if we seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness that all of our needs will be met (Matthew 6:33). The Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:19 that “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
Dear God, please help us remember that you will never forsake us, and that you will always take care of us. Please help us to be instruments of compassion toward others.