God tested Abraham, and said to him . . . "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering" (Genesis 22:1-2).
THEME
GOD'S PROVISION
In Charles Dickens's DAVID COPPERFIELD, the character Traddles lent his good name to Mr. Micawber's money-making scheme. After Copperfield expressed concern, Traddles reassured himself and Copperfield by saying, "He told me, only the other day, that it was provided for. That was Mr. Micawber's expression, 'Provided for.'"
Like Traddles, we want assurance that we have been provided for. We even rely on slogans like "You're in good hands with Allstate." Somehow these deceive us into believing that someone will provide for us. Our need for reassurance reveals our uncertainty about whether God can truly meet all our needs.
By providing a ram for the sacrifice, God taught Abraham and future generations that he could provide when life itself was on the line. If God was concerned about one person's lifeblood, then He must take notice of all humanity's lifebeat.
The people of Christ's day missed the point of Isaac on the altar; they could only strengthen their faith when their sacrifice preceded God's provision. They certainly were not going to offer themselves; they wanted the glory and power of an earthly kingdom, not another gruesome sacrifice. But God gave them what they needed, not what they wanted. He put an end to their kingmaking passions by sacrificing the King.
We can be certain that God will freely give His children all good things--in His unexplainable, unexpected, but all-wise way.
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FEB 05
GENESIS 22:1-14
And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering" (Genesis 22:8).
Imagine Abraham's feelings when the Lord told him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Think of what went through his mind when they climbed Mount Moriah and Isaac asked, "Where is the lamb?" Yet Abraham had faith that God would provide, and he assured Isaac of his confidence. He was right. God pointed out a ram in the thicket. As a result, Abraham called the place Jehovah-Jireh, which means "the Lord will provide."
In the centuries that have followed, God has continued to demonstrate that He provides for His own. Dr. Robert Schindler and his wife, Marian, founded a mission hospital associated with radio station ELWA in Monrovia, Liberia. In their book MISSION POSSIBLEthey wrote, "For us, it was a continued exercise of faith that we would have the right drugs and supplies at the right time. We recall how much we counted on our X-ray machine, something we take for granted [at home]. We even had the opportunity to get an extra one when a friend of ours, a doctor with the U.S. Embassy, asked if we could use a portable X-ray machine. . . . But then as the months dragged out, we knew it must be lost at sea. Then one day our big X-ray machine stopped working. . . . We found it was a major problem which would take several months to fix. . . . But that very afternoon, the ELWA truck pulled up to the hospital with a huge crate from port. You guessed it--it was the portable X-ray machine! We plugged it in, and it worked! We didn't lose a day for X-rays."
Lord, thank You for being our Provider.
--D.C.E.
God's provisions are always greater than our problems.
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FEB 06
REVELATION 3:14-22
"I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (Revelation 3:20).
An elderly couple had no means of support except a weekly gift of money from a man in their church. One Sunday the church scheduled a special meeting in the afternoon. The couple's benefactor, who lived quite far away, wanted to remain in the area for the afternoon service. So he said to the couple, "Would you mind if I joined you for dinner after the morning service?" Immediately the couple thought of the half loaf of stale bread, a bit of butter, and some cheese that was the entire contents of their cupboard. How could this friend dine with them, they wondered. But the man interrupted their worries by adding, "I have brought a basket of things with me and there will be plenty for the three of us." When he arrived at the couple's cottage, he unpacked the basket. Soon the three of them were gathered around a table spread with fried chicken, sliced ham, homemade bread, country butter, and apple pie. The man had not only come to dine with them, but he had also brought all that was needed for the feast.
This pictures Jesus' relationship with us. He desires to fellowship with us, and He provides all we need for the feast. When we open the door of our heart and the Lord Jesus comes in, we have the privilege of "dining" with Him. We have nothing to offer, but into our spiritual poverty He brings all the riches of His grace. What blessed fellowship is ours as He spreads His bounteous table and invites us to dine with Him.
--P.R.V.
Grace is God's everything for people who deserve nothing.
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FEB 07
GENESIS 22:1-18
Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide (Genesis 22:14).
A number of times in the Old Testament, the name "Jehovah" is joined to other names that reveal some of God's distinct characteristics. Abraham said that the place where God supplied a ram should be called "The-Lord-Will-Provide." This name, which is sometimes rendered "Jehovah-Jireh," indicates that God sees beforehand what our needs are, and He provides for them.
A young newlywed planned to entertain some friends. Lacking some necessary items, she went to a neighbor to borrow them. After giving the items to her, the friend asked, "Is that all you want?" "Yes, I think so," the young bride answered. Then her neighbor, an experienced hostess, handed her some other items, explaining that she would need them as well. Later the young woman remarked, "I was so thankful I went to someone who knew exactly what I needed and was willing to supply it."
How well that describes God. Through the sacrifice of His Son, He has given us salvation. But that's not all. He also provides power through the Holy Spirit so that we can do His will. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Ro 8:32). Jehovah-Jireh. The Lord will provide.
--P.R.V.
Where God guides, He provides.
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FEB 08
PHILIPPIANS 4:10-19
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
Philippians 4:19 is familiar to most Christians. We quote it, write it, and underline it in our Bibles. But do we really believe it? Many of our doubts and nagging worries would disappear if we would draw on the truth these words express.
A tragedy in the family of American pastor Wilbur Chapman made it necessary for him to travel to the West Coast. A banker who attended his church visited him just before he was to leave. As the two men talked, the banker took a piece of paper from his pocket and slipped it into his pastor's hand. When Chapman looked at it, he saw that it was a blank check made out to him and signed by the banker. Stunned, he asked, "Do you mean you are giving me a signed check to fill out as I please?" "Yes," said the banker. "I did not know how much you might require, and I want you to draw any amount that will meet your need." Chapman gratefully accepted the check, but he didn't need to use it on his trip. Later he commented, "It gave me a comfortable, happy feeling to know that I had a vast sum at my disposal."
Man's resources cannot be compared with God's unlimited provisions. But this story helps us appreciate the abundant supply we have in Jesus. We can look at Philippians 4:19 as a check made out to the obedient believer, guaranteeing that the deposit of "riches in glory" will never fail. We can count on God's supply, because the check is signed by God Himself.
--P.R.V.
Divine resources are never exhausted.
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FEB 09
COLOSSIANS 1:9-19
"For in Him we live and move and have our being"
(Acts 17:28).
When life gets heavy, humor lightens the load. I have heard, for example, that in Russia peasant farmers enjoy telling this story: A commissar came to a farmer one day and inquired about the year's potato crop. "Oh, it was wonderful," replied the farmer. "Good, good," said the official. "Just how big was it?" "Oh, it was so big it reached up to the very foot of God." The commissar's countenance changed. With a scowl, he said, "But comrade, this is a communist state and we are atheists. You must not forget, there is no God!" "That's right, commissar, that's what I mean. No God-no potatoes."
A deep truth lies hidden in this humorous tale. God is the source of all things--whether we admit it or not. The apostle Paul went so far as to tell his pagan audience, "For in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). And he focused the great creating and sustaining work of God in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ (Col 1:16-18). Without Him, we could not draw a single breath, our bodies could not function, and we would have no provision for our daily sustenance.
Atheists may have convinced themselves that God does not exist. Yet we who are His children through faith in His Son know otherwise. But do we show it by the way we live? That is the key question. Each day we must depend on Him, so that we recognize every blessing as coming from His gracious hand.
--D.J.D.
However long the chain of secondary causes, the first link is always in God's hand.
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FEB 10
LUKE 12:22-34
Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).
God promises to provide the necessities of life, such as food and clothing. Once we have accepted this, we have laid the foundation for genuine contentment.
"As World War II was drawing to a close, the Allied armies gathered up many hungry orphans. They were placed in camps where they were well-fed. Despite excellent care, they slept poorly. They seemed nervous and afraid. Finally, a psychologist came up with the solution. Each child was given a piece of bread to hold after he was put to bed. . . . This particular piece of bread was just to be held--not eaten. The piece of bread produced wonderful results. The children went to bed knowing instinctively they would have food to eat the next day. That guarantee gave the children a restful and contented sleep" (Charles L. Allen, GOD'S PSYCHIATRY).
For most of us, the refrigerator and the cupboard contain enough food for tomorrow's meals. Yet, like those children, we still feel a gnawing anxiety. Why is this? Either we do not trust God or we think we need more than we have. We have substituted desire for need and need for desire. Even Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart," is not an unconditional promise that God will give us whatever we want. We must first delight ourselves in Him. Then our desires will be in line with what He desires to give us--and that will bring us true contentment.
--D.J.D.
Contentment comes not from greater wealth but from fewer wants.
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FEB 11
MATTHEW 6:25-34
"For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things" (Matthew 6:32).
If we could look behind the unexpected events in our lives, we would be amazed to see God wonderfully providing for our needs. The insignificant turns in the road, the seemingly unimportant events, the often unexplained happenings--all are part of God's loving care.
His gracious providence is also evident in our tangible provisions. In Bristol, England, George M√Öller operated an orphanage for two thousand children. One evening, knowing they had no food for breakfast the next morning, M√Öller called his workers together and explained the situation. After two or three prayed, Muller said, "That is sufficient. Let us rise and praise God for prayer answered." The next morning they could not push open the great front door. To see what was holding it closed, they went out the back door and around the building. Stacked up against the front door were boxes filled with food. One of the workers later remarked, "We know Who sent the baskets, but we do not know who brought them!"
God uses many messengers and means to deliver His gifts, whether they are material or spiritual provisions. We may not always recognize that His hand is working behind the scenes, but it is. Sometimes we get down to the last of our resources, but we can rest assured that the Father knows exactly what we need. And this brings contentment to our hearts. Knowing the Source, we can leave to Him the method of His supply.
