God's Provision

It never ceases to amaze me how God provides in times of greatest need. As I look back on my life, I can clearly see the evidences of God’s hand guiding, directing, and intervening in situations both big and small.  And yet, I admit there are times where I’ve cried out to God knowing that He could help me, but didn’t want to presume that help would be part of His good and perfect will for my life. Maybe you have cried out to God fervently, all the while fearing that your need was too insignificant or your worthiness too non-existent for God to intervene on your behalf. Yet, despite your doubt, how many could speak to the times that his goodness and faithfulness were revealed just the same? How grateful I am that I can see example upon example of this in my life.

I hope we can all recognize these times of provision in our lives. It’s the time when you only had x amount of dollars in your account and somehow it multiplied and stretched way farther than it should have.  It’s the unexpected check that shows up in the mail to cover just the amount you needed for something. It’s a tumor, disease, or condition that was diagnosed one minute and then gone the next. Or maybe it’s that blessing in disguise—a sprained finger that reveals a bigger issue that would have never been discovered otherwise. Do you have stories?

Last year, my husband and I were going through a time that was really financially tight. We didn’t know how we were even going to put gas in the car to get to work. All we could do was pray that God would intervene and that He would be glorified through our circumstances somehow. Then it happened. That Saturday afternoon, I opened the garage when I heard an awful noise—the kind you know can only be BAD. This was not the answer to prayer I was hoping for.  The garage door proceeded to fall off the tracks and wedge itself diagonally into the frame of the garage. It wouldn’t budge. Not only that, but my car was trapped inside. This was a “now what” moment. My instinct was to panic. To throw my hands in the air and say, “I give up.” And yet, God was saying, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” Twenty minutes later, our doorbell rang. It was a garage door repair man! He just happened to be driving by, saw our mangled garage door, and wanted to know if we wanted him to fix it . . . for free. What an amazing example of God’s provision. I have often looked back on that day and smiled. God had it all under control.

In chapel last week, Mr. B. spoke about George Mueller and God’s provision demonstrated time and time again in his orphanages—times when they didn’t know where the next meal would come from or how the next need was going to be met. And yet, they never asked anyone for anything and never wanted for anything. Sometimes His provision is nothing short of miraculous, and sometimes it is the sound of God’s soft voice reminding us, “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

This is not to say that God’s faithfulness and goodness is diminished in any way when it seems like He has not answered the prayer or fulfilled the need. At a conference I attended not long ago, one of the speakers made the following statement, “Don’t confuse the results of something bad with how good God actually is. His goodness doesn’t change.” Unfortunately, what we want and what we need is not always known to us. Luckily though, God knows because He cares for us. I love the words in these promises from Matthew:

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29–31).

When I read those verses, I am reminded of one of my favorite childhood hymns (and one that continues to encourage me in times of trial).

His Eye is On the Sparrow

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me

When you think that nothing else could go wrong and then it does, remember in those times that God is right there to prove His faithfulness and maybe to teach you something that you could not have learned any other way.

I pray that someday God allows me to encourage others with my stories of His provision. Do you have stories to share? If you have one, feel free to share it here so we can be reminded that God is at work every day in our lives.

His eye is on the sparrow, so I KNOW he watches me.