Another Day for Granted

You may have heard the expression that says, "I complained because I had no shoes...and then I met a man who had no feet".  I love that expression and find myself using it a lot.  It really helps to keep things in perspective.

Well I have a new one for you, "I complained because I had to shovel the porch...and then I saw a one-armed man shoveling his driveway".  True story.  I was so overcome with humility that it almost brought tears to my eyes.  I spent the next 30 minutes thanking God for everything that I do have and asking Him to help me to be more thankful every single day.

God still provides for us.  He always has even through our unfaithfulness and stubbornness, God still provides for His people.  Through the infirmity of the one-armed man, he still provided a means for that man to remove snow from his driveway so he could go about his life.  And to the man with no ability to remove the snow from his driveway I trust that God will provide for HIS needs as well - I'm confident of that.

Remember the Old Testament story of Abraham about to sacrifice his son to the Lord?  As hard as that was to do, Abraham obeyed and followed through and of course God provided Abraham with a goat to sacrifice instead of his son.  "And Abraham called the name of that place Adonai-jireh; as it is said to this day: 'In the mount where the LORD is seen.' – Genesis 22:14   Recent translations  amplify the literal meaning along the lines of "the Lord will see to it", and refer to Abraham's earlier words in 22:8, "God himself will provide the lamb".  Jehovah-Jireh.  God-provider.

 

There is a popular worship song by that title made famous by Don Moen in 1986, and consequently by other artists in the years after.  There is a Jehovah-Jireh Children’s Home in Kenya, and many churches around the world with that name in their title. 

It’s important to be reminded that God indeed provides for His children.  I will try to remember that the next time I complain about having to do this or that – as I see the wounded soldier coming home I will remember that God is still Jehovah-Jireh.  As my aches and pains cause my body to cry out I will remember that God is still Jehovah-Jireh.  As my bills pile up, as my to-do list increase, I pray that I will remember that God is still Jehovah-Jireh.

Lord thank you for always providing for us and for granting us the grace to continue to participate in your magnificent creation.

-submitted by Virtual Assistant, Kurt