Jehovah Jireh ~ The God Who Provides
The eyes of all look to you in hope;
you give them their food as they need it.
When you open your hand,
you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
Psalms 145:15-16
One of my favorite stories from childhood is that of George Mueller, missionary to orphans in England. He is known for his prolific prayer life and faith. One day, the orphanage was down to almost no food. He didn’t know where the next meal would come from, and he was responsible to feed these precious children. So, he did what he knew how to do best, pray.
I can imagine his conversation with God went something like this. “Lord, these children are hungry. You put them in my care, but I have nothing left to give. I know you are the God of miracles. You are Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides, so could you do that for these children?” Moments later, a knock sounded at the door. It was a driver of a bread truck that had overturned just down the street.
George didn’t pray that the bread truck passing by would wreck or break down. He did pray that God would provide. And He did. The truck driver had to unload the contents of his truck. George just happened to have the perfect place for it, the tummies of his hungry charges and their kitchen pantry.
I felt like one of George Mueller’s kids when, as a child. Our cupboards were empty. A couple bags of groceries appeared on our doorstep.. There were even marshmallows in the bag! Someone wanted to bless us with the necessities but saw beyond the need and blessed us with an extra fun gift. I am not a fan of the marshmallows now, but I certainly was giving thanks for them as a wide-eyed child.
Throughout Scripture, we see example of God providing at just the right time. He provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice. He provided a meal for Elijah who was on the run and scared. He provided manna for the children of Israel. He provided a hiding place for David. He provided a way of salvation for the entire world of sinners.
As we approach Thanksgiving, it is good to reflect on how we have seen God’s provision in the Bible. But can we stop and think of His provision in our own daily lives? How many times have we sung “Great is Thy Faithfulness” without stopping to count our blessings?
This month, I am trying something new. I am holding myself accountable to be more grateful by making a list and posting a short message about one item per day. From the air I breathe to the coffee I drink, every good and perfect gift is from my Father.
I still find plenty to grumble about… that is the human spirit, isn’t it? But by God’s grace He points my heart to an attitude of gratitude.
What do you have to be grateful for today?
Will you take the challenge to find one thing every day between now and Thanksgiving to be grateful for? Either in your journal, social media, or just in your heart, make a note of it first thing in the morning. Then give thanks for it throughout the day.
Feel free to comment here or check out my gratitude posts on Instagram at @kerilynnwillis.
Dear Jehovah Jireh,
Thank you for Your provision in my life. Help me to recognize that every good and perfect gift comes from You. Help me be aware of other’s needs and meet them when You prompt me to. Please extinguish the grumbles in my heart and help me to always be grateful. In Your Precious Name, Ament
Great is Thy Faithfulness Listen to Carrie and CeeCee sing and meditate on this beautiful hymn.
My name is Keri Willis. I am a semi-retired educator. I spent a great deal of my career working with adults with developmental disabilities and many years in elementary education, in the classroom and as an administrator. My main ministry now is coordinating the women’s ministry for our church in San Diego, CA. I have been married thirty-four years and have two grown and married children. I now have a head of full grey hair and good ideas. I believe we are created to use our gifts and to be creative. That comes in many forms for me. I love to woodwork and use power tools, design, decorate, garden, and create new recipes. And I love to write. One major lesson I have learned in my writing journey is that I need to be still and listen to hear God’s voice before I am prepared to put into words the message he has instilled in my heart. This has been much easier since I am no longer working full time, but it is so easy to get distracted and not listen, which almost always ends with an empty page in the form of writer’s block. While I have written many articles for newsletters and local newspapers, I did not consider myself a writer until I self-published my first book, Teapots and Power Tools. https://www.amazon.com/Teapot.../dp/1466458763/ref=sr_1_3... The idea emerged as I was working on a project in my garage. I had worship music playing, power tools out and saw dust flying. I glanced up and saw my delicate teapot sitting on my router table. The message was clear. Sometimes we are using the power tools God gives us and sometimes he just wants us to be still and have tea with him. The book became the foundation for a women’s retreat, and then my amazing niece helped me work through publishing it on Create Space (now KDP). At least five other projects are in different stages of production. I joined hope*writers to help motivate me and keep me focused and accountable. I am still trying to figure out the whole website and blog thing. That is my next goal for myself; that and finish writing at least one of my projects! Teapots and Power Tools: Effectively using the tools God has equipped you with, while taking time to “Be Still and Know That He is God” View more posts
