God Knows Our Needs Before We Even Ask – Here’s Proof

“Can you believe that?” I said, plopping into my recliner after returning home from our outreach feeding ministry.

“I know. It’s pretty wild,” my husband replied.

Right as we were ready to pray before serving the hot meal at our church that evening, a new couple entered.

After helping clean up, they sat and shared their almost unbelievable story with us.

“You know, honey. Their story reminds me of the sermon you preached on Jonah and the Whale a few weeks back. Remember how you used it to illustrate how God knew our needs before we even asked and how He prepared the answer way before?”

He nodded.

Jonah’s Illustration

God cared about the people living in a country called Nineveh. Even though they were evil, God wanted them to have an opportunity to repent.

God had a plan. He was going to send a man named Jonah – a man who despised the Ninevites, but Jonah didn’t want to obey.

He ran the opposite way in a ship instead.

I bet he was surprised, like a little kid getting caught, when the angry waves grew higher and higher, tossing the ship to and fro.

Jonah might have thought, “Maybe God knows where I am after all.” He probably felt sick to his stomach, and not from sea sickness.

While the sailors searched for the source of the storm, Jonah might have thought like a young child, “Oops.  I think I’ve been caught.” 

When asked, “Who caused this?”  Jonah’s guilt rose within.

Jonah must have felt he deserved death since he shouted, “Throw me overboard.”

As he flew through the air, he might have wondered what it was going to be like drowning and wished he had obeyed.  Imagine his surprise, when before even landing, an atrocious loud sound echoed as something the size of a ship broke through the waves.

He was unable to see anything from the spray of the ocean water – he really didn’t see it coming.

Instead of hitting the water’s hard surface and sinking or swimming, 

he felt air and dampness, saw darkness, and smelled fish and seaweed.

Before his brain could process, a possible tightness of muscles sucked him through a tunnel into a large room containing an acidic substance a foot or more high on the floor.  Strange though, the floor wasn’t level, and the walls weren’t straight.

No telling how long it took him to figure out where he was. Might have been when he was ejected at God’s intended destination.

My guess is God and he had quite the long talk those three days, resulting in Jonah’s understanding he was given a second chance and needed to obey God’s command.  

God Prepared the Answer

Let’s look at the story again to see how God was preparing the answer before ever asking Jonah to help. Remember, God even knows what our reaction will be and plans for that.

Here we have the wicked and sinful Ninevites that God loved enough to send a prophet with the message of repentance. 

Grant it, God might appreciate a quicker and more positive response when it comes to obedience than what Jonah gave, but He knew Jonah was who He wanted.

God knew Jonah’s reaction was going to be one of flight.  He also knew where he would flee to and when.  

Have you ever thought about what it would take to coordinate such an event? 

The timing for a whale to pop up at the exact moment and exact place Jonah was being thrown overboard can’t be a coincidence. Speed and timing require exact precision.

God knew ahead of time what Jonah was going to do, when, and where, and performed a miraculous feat in having a whale in the right spot at the right time to catch Jonah as those angry men threw him overboard. 

Not only was the timing perfect between the whale and Jonah’s meeting in the air, but ask yourself:

• What size was this whale?
• Where did he come from?
• Do they always swim in this part of the ocean?
• Where do whales swim during storms? Near the top? 
• Do they feed on the water’s surface or in the ocean’s depths?

It is easy to overlook these questions when reading. 

In order for that particular whale to be in that specific place and day, many things had to happen:

• The whale had to be born and grow.
• He had to avoid being someone else’s breakfast.
• He Couldn’t get harpooned or die early due to sickness.
• Jonah had to be born and grow also.
• He had to avoid sickness and harm that could cause death.  

• He had to be called and trained as a prophet.
• Marriage or another job didn’t move him to another land.

God was on the scene years ahead with a fish being born and raised in the sea that could be told to swim at a precise moment while keeping Jonah safe and alive on his trip to the shore where those needing repentance were.  Absolutely amazing!

God not only knows our needs but prepares ahead of time. 

Joe and Lori’s Story

(fictitious names used)

Originally from West Virginia, Joe and Lori moved to work in Indiana. The economy soon tanked. Lori’s part-time work wasn’t sufficient.

An opportunity became available with a family member in Texas.  As soon as the tax refund came, they hopped in their van with all they owned and headed south.

Two weeks later, they changed their minds. They both agreed to go back where Lori’s work held her position if needed.

With sleeping in the van and buying inexpensive food, all was well. But then, the van broke, and the cost of repairs left them with little.

Joe suggested, “Let’s put it in the gas tank and maybe we can find somewhere to stay, and I can find some work to get us back.”

Lori agreed.

In their hearts, neither one wanted to really go back but didn’t know where to start their lives over.

At the gas station, the radio advertised a church, so Joe found their number. It was a Baptist Church in Joplin, MO which was just ahead. It should be a big enough spot to find help.

The voice that answered his call surprisingly didn’t offer assistance themselves. Instead, said, “There is a church in Baxter Springs, KS that has hot meals 5 nights a week. They might be able to help you.”

While writing down the address for Trinity Worship Center, Joe spotted a sign to turn off to Baxter Springs. Within minutes, Joe and Lori arrived.

They were pleasantly surprised to learn this small church also allowed people to lodge in some rooms until they got back on their feet.

Joe and Lori’s Needs Met

Even though Joe and Lori had not prayed, God cared enough to bring them to a place where they could rebuild their lives and rebuild, they did.

Joe and Lori ate every night, attended all church services, helped with construction projects and whatever else was needed around the church while filling out job applications.

It wasn’t long before temp jobs came through providing basic needs, then a permanent one. In about 7 weeks after arriving, Joe and Lori were able to move into their own house.  

A couple of weeks later, Lori accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior, followed by Joe within another two weeks. 

In the same way God wanted the Ninevites to hear a message of repentance, He loved Joe and Lori enough to bring Steve and Jena Fellers together for a ministry to be in operation at the precise time Joe and Lori needed food, shelter, and to hear the Gospel.  He had the right church advertisement on the radio at the precise moment they were on empty to take them straight to the Community Dinner at Trinity Worship Center.

They’re arriving just in time for dinner reminds me of the whale being there to catch Jonah.  

Absolutely amazing!

No one ever understood how this Baptist church in Joplin knew of this small church or Word in Action Ministry, but Joe and Lori were thankful for a second chance and a place to relocate.  

More to Consider

Continuing my conversations and reflection with my husband, I added, “it was so cool to know the depth of God’s love, and that God still does it today.”

He reached over to hold my hand. “I forgot about that sermon until you brought it up. There are similarities.” Clearing his throat before chuckling, he continued, “Do you remember what else I said in that sermon?”

“I sure do! You talked about the lengths God went through to bring us together with you in Texas and me in Kansas. You had to become a carpenter and choose to move to Kansas. I had to become a teacher before going on disability due to my progressive eye disease.”

He picked up the story. “And you wanted a house built with some adaptations to live on your own and hired a contractor who thankfully hired me.”

A grin spread across my face. “That’s right,” I said lifting up the footrest. “It was love at first sight. Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration since my visual impairment didn’t let me see you really well. But we married within four months anyway.”

“And if we hadn’t been called into the ministry and accepted to pastor Trinity Worship, or start the feeding ministry, we wouldn’t have been there for Joe and Lori tonight.”

Now let me ask, “How deep is God’s love?  How much does He care about you and your problems?”

Enough to be working on the answer way before your problem emerges.

Your answer is on its way!  That is how deep His love is for you!

I appreciate your stopping in and taking time to read. I’d love for you to share with your friends on social media. If you haven’t subscribed yet, make sure to subscribe here now.

For another amazing true story of how deep God’s love is, grab my first print book, “From Mishaps to Mission.” Be sure to grab your Kleenex and be ready to laugh at the same time when sitting down to read.

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