A Beautiful Circle of Provision

Photo image courtesy Pezibear | Pixabay

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! – 2 Corinthians 9:15 (CSB)

When you think of God’s provision, you probably think of God providing the ram in the thicket for Abraham so that he didn’t have to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Or you might think of the Israelites receiving manna, a type of bread, from Heaven when they were in need of food. And then there’s the feeding of the multitudes by Jesus using only a few fish and a few loaves of bread. There are so many stories in the Bible of God’s provision to us. We also can recall times in our own lives when we’ve had needs met that can only be explained by our petitions to God. But did you realize the greatest provision from God for our greatest need was Jesus? We needed a way to be reconciled with God because of our sins. Jesus was given to us to be the blameless sacrifice. How can we ever show our appreciation and thankfulness for such provision?

In Isaiah 58 we learn that behaving in a way that should be pleasing to God, but without clean hands and a pure heart is just for others to see. God sees our intent. In verse 11 we are told that our selfless provision for others will yield us God’s leadership and provision always.

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 we’re told if we sow sparingly, we will reap sparingly. If we sow generously, we will reap generously. God does love a cheerful giver. He will make every grace overflow to you so that you will always have everything you need to excel in every good work. He will multiply your harvest of the seeds you sow. It all produces thanksgiving to God. So, you see, we can repay Him for all our provisions, including the sacrifice of His own Son to give us undeserved salvation by passing along our knowledge of the Gospel, even if we aren’t Bible scholars.

We just need to give our own testimony and our reason for the hope they see in us. We can care for the needy, not just those that need food and clothing, but those that need Jesus in their lives. We will be sowing seeds that the Lord will water and grow.

God providing for us is a beautiful thing. But we can provide from our bounty to others. Then God is glorified. It’s a beautiful circle: God’s provision to us—our provision to others—God being glorified.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What are some ways God has provided in your life?

2. Do you think you have to be rich to provide for others?

3. How might you provide for or share your blessings with others?

4. Can you think of other ways to show thankfulness to God?