Copies, Soap and Tissue Paper

Phil. 4: 19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I watched the last little bit of soap I owned go down the drain and I lack the words to describe what I felt that morning. Like most young Adventist trying to get an Adventist education, my college days were financially meagre and everything, including soap, was rationed. As I wrapped my towel around me that Tuesday morning, and returned to my room, I pondered my dilemma. I had exactly 35 cents (US) in my purse. My last roll of tissue paper had finished, leaving only cardboard and I still needed to photocopy five pages of material for Friday’s test at ten cents per copy.

Photocopies, tissue-paper and soap should not cause despair, but when you don’t have any and can’t afford to buy more, they do; and unless Christ came that morning, I was sure I’d find urgent need for at least one of them before the day’s end. Everyone I knew was also broke, and I could think of no one I could ask for help. Standing at my room door on my way to class, I prayed, “Father, I need tissue paper, soap and five photocopies. I have 35 cents to contribute. You’ll have to provide the rest, please.”

Then in class, someone suggested the teacher leave copies at the student centre, instead of the library, as they charged only 7 cents per page for copies. “Five times 7 is 35”, I thought realizing God intended to use all my money first. Copies in hand, I walked towards my room and met a friend who gave me half a bar of soap, saying “It smelled so nice, I just had to share it.” In my room, I opened my locker, to secure my half-a-bar of soap and noticed a little piece of paper stuck to one of the shelves. Moving the shelf, I found a huge wad of tissue paper that had “somehow” fallen unnoticed behind the shelf. No one had known of my situation, yet within hours of my prayer and before I had need for either soap or tissue paper, God had provided all of them.

The lack of soap and tissue paper may be so simple compared to what you may be facing today. But if God cares about soap and tissue paper, how can He not care about everything else we need? No matter the need, no matter how desperate it may seem now, God is always near and will take care of you.

Lord, teach me to trust Your word when You promise to take care of all my needs, in Jesus’ name, amen.