I don’t know for sure; but the first feel is that Lord Jesus never asked anything for himself to keep. He only borrowed things. When he wanted to enter Jerusalem in fulfilment of the prophecy of Zechariah (9:9), he said to his disciples to get a colt from the village ahead. And he also told them to tell anyone who objected to the untying of the colt, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly” (Mark 11:3). The people let the colt go when they heard that the Lord needed it.
What is our response when the Lord says that he needs something from us? Do we give it to him readily? Or do we count the cost?
We need to note that the Lord needed the colt for a particular use. Here it was to fulfil prophecy as well as tell the world that he is the King, the Messiah or the Anointed One. Likewise when the Lord asks anything from us it is for a particular use. If we do not respond, be sure that we will miss the opportunity.
Sometimes that opportunity will be a spectacular event like his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Otherwise it might be how quietly he got into Simon’s boat and asked him to put out a little from shore so that he could sit down in it and teach the people (Luke 5:2). The readiness of Simon to obey the Lord changed his life. His empty nets were full of catch and he also received further directions for his life, “From now on you will catch men.” Your life too can change dramatically if you respond to his word, “The Lord needs it.”
The lesson is that you should be available to God with the resources at your command. Sometimes it is a donkey that he needs; sometimes it is a boat or perhaps five small barley loaves and two small fish that the boy offered to Jesus to feed the Five Thousand. To Andrew, the offer of the boy seemed insignificant compared to the need (John 6:9). Let us remind ourselves that we are not to worry about what the Lord is going to do with what we give. He’ll take care of it. He only says, “The Lord needs it,” and not what he is going to do with it.
The need of the Lord is for this moment. He is asking only what you have. You need only be willing to give now, not later. When you willingly give to the Lord what he asks of you, the results are beyond your expectations.
Think also of this: How willingly do we give when our best friend or brother or sister asks for something from us? Do we respond to God with the same enthusiasm and willingness when we hear “The Lord needs it”? If not, ask what is preventing us from giving? Is it lack of trust? Is it fear that the Lord might demand something more? Remember, he is only asking from us so that we’ll also share in the blessings that come to many through our giving. Therefore be available to God with your resources the next time you hear, “The Lord needs it.
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All Scripture Quotations are from the New International Version.