A Full Cupboard

My son turned one this week.  He's a good little boy but like most of us he gets a bit cranky when he's hungry.  Hangry, I guess would be the term.  And sometimes when Joshua is hungry and complains we go to the cupboard and get him a graham cracker or fruit bar or some sort of snack.

We make it a priority to have snacks in the cupboard for Joshua.  We sometimes forget to get the things we need, but we always have something for Joshua because we love him and we know that babies are not known for their patience.  I hate when we get in that rare jam where we don't have something he needs.  It would not be pretty if he was hangry and I hadn't purchased his food for him yet.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't give Joshua whatever he asks, whenever he asks.  Snacks are not a spoiling for him, they are a necessity. There are other things in the cupboard he asks for and other times when I know he doesn't need to eat that I deny his request despite his whining.

This all leads me to this question: how do you pray?

Do you pray to the Father of the full cupboard or the possibly empty cupboard?

When Jesus died on the cross He purchased every grace we need.  When Jesus said, "It is finished" (John 19:30), He meant it.  When Christ paid our price He purchased a cupboard full of everything we need.  Christ's cupboard is full, it is bursting at the seams, it is beyond bulging because of the infinite supply of grace it contains.

This does not mean that He will necessarily give all that we want, but He will give us the supply of grace for our every need.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

So, how do you pray?  Do you pray to the god of the empty cupboard or to the LORD that has purchased everything you'll ever need?  When you pray for patience do you imagine that God has to manufacture patience for you or do you know that He simply takes it out of the cupboard?  When you pray for the grace to endure today do you know that that grace comes from His glorious riches and not from spiritual food stamps?

Pray to the God of the full cupboard.  When Jesus died He died for more than your get out of Hell free card.  When Jesus died He died to start and finish your sanctification.  When Jesus died He purchased a full cupboard of grace to give you for every need.  When Jesus died He died to adopt children into His Father's household that will be well cared; cared for much better than I care for Joshua.

Pray like your Heavenly Father has a full cupboard today.