When do you need God? When do you need His grace, His help?

Many people think of God like an insurance policy. Most of us pay insurance premiums regularly.  We receive a policy annually and file it away somewhere, knowing that it is available in the event of a crisis – if our house burns down or our car crashes, or our life ends. Having such policies in case of emergency is a comfort. But day by day, we don’t even think of them.

Now, God does tell us to call upon Him in every crisis. He is indeed our Rock, our Fortress, our Strong Deliverer (see Psalm 18, especially verses 1-3, as well as numerous other Scriptures). As such, He is better than any insurance policy, for with Him there are no deductibles, no premiums, no riders, and no exclusions. No crisis will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, whether fire, hail, flooding, or acts of war – and certainly not acts of God!

But unlike insurance, we need God on our good days as well as our bad, when all is going great as well as when our world is falling apart, when we are bubbling over with joy as well as when we are in the depths of sorrow.

We need Him first because He grants us breath. As the Apostle Paul tells the Athenians, “He himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25). He has the right and the power to remove that breath from us at any time: “When you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust” (Psalm 104:29). Our times are in His hand (Psalm 31:15); He may take my life at any moment (Luke 12:20). Thus I need His grace if I am to live out the day.

Second, we need Him constantly because every good we have – whether abilities or possessions or intelligence or perseverance or friends or family or health – is a gift from Him: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (James 1:17); He “gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV); “a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven”(John 3:27). List what gives you the greatest joy. Then list what makes you special. Write beside each: “This is an undeserved gift from God.”

Finally, we need Him if we are to have true joy. Jesus tells us, “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35). He also says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). David exclaims, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). True life, true joy, everlasting pleasures – these are found only in God through Jesus.

So praise God that He insures us from all the dangers and troubles we might face. As the Apostle Paul writes knowing he is about to be executed, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18 NIV). Cry out to Him in every crisis, knowing that in Jesus you are secure.

But don’t file God away, waiting for a crisis to pull Him out! Rather acknowledge and delight in your need for Him every second of your life. He is the Giver – we are receivers. He is the ever-flowing fountain – we are those who drink. He is the Sustainer – we are those strengthened. Rejoice in that dependence. Be grateful towards Him. And, because of all His benefits to you, hold up your cup of salvation and ask Him to fill it again, and again, and again (Psalm 116:13).

[Scripture quotations are ESV unless otherwise indicated.]