Imagine yourself in this winter scene:
An unexpected blizzard rages for days leaving behind a perfect winter wonderland. Sparkling snow and glistening ice cycles adorn every surface. The pristine snow is undisturbed except by the lone prints of an unidentified animal.
The beauty outside contrasts sharply with the bleak situation inside your cabin.
Your electricity is out, food is almost gone and your pipes are frozen. As the sun sets, you shiver from fear and cold. Hopelessly, you pick up your phone again, confirming it is dead. You feel trapped by the isolation of your peaceful cabin. “Please God,” you hear yourself pleading, “Send me help!”
Just then, there’s a knock at your door.
You open it to find a man holding two flash lights. He extends his hand – one is for you. He says, “Follow me and I’ll take care of you.” You hesitate, but only momentarily. There is something familiar about this man, so you put your trust in him. Besides, you’re desperate. Quickly you put on your coat, boots, hat and gloves.
Standing in front of you, he reaches back his hand to take yours. “Just follow in my footsteps,” he says. Taking his hand, you step outside surprised that the snow holds your weight. As he lifts one foot to walk forward, you place your foot in the footprint that he has left behind. Following wherever he leads.
He leads you to a cottage close by. One you had never noticed before. Upon entering, you see a roaring fire and a feast set on the table. Smiling he says, “This is for you because you had the faith to follow me.”
Most of us will never be trapped in an isolated cabin with frozen pipes, little food and a dead cell phone. Most of us won’t ever be trapped 10 hours on an icy road like the travelers stuck on I95 the other day.
Even so, we can still feel trapped and need provision.
RISING PRICES?
We need to make ends meet!
COVID ISOLATION?
We need companionship!
BUSINESSES CLOSING?
We need a job.
Do you ever feel like screaming?
There’s no harm in screaming, as long as you don’t scare anyone. But there is a better way.
A way of hope.
SO, WHO CAN WE CALL WHEN WE NEED PROVISION?
Our God of hope.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
It doesn’t matter if we are stuck on I95, trapped in a snow-covered cabin or isolated at home. God can hear us call 24/7, even when our cell phone is dead.
Would God know my situation?
In our story, God was watching and waiting for our call. As soon as we called, there was a knock on the door. God had responded. He had already planned for our provision.
God knows our situation and our needs even before we ask for anything.
Therefore, do not be like them.
For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8
Our loving Heavenly Father is just waiting for us to call, (Jeremiah 33:3). Doesn’t every loving parent want to hear from their children?
HAVE YOU CALLED YET?
NEXT, HAVE FAITH!
(You knew that was coming, didn’t you?)
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 NIV
We imagined having faith that the caring man in our story could provide for us. So, we followed in his footsteps. God cares about us. When in faith we follow Him, He will provide for us too.
THEN WATCH FOR IT!
IT’S COMING!
Isn’t faith believing for something even before we see it, (Hebrews 11:1)?
When asking for something that’s God’s will, in faith, give thanks and watch for it to arrive!
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15
BE REWARDED!
Wasn’t it an act of faith when we imagined following the man from the cabin and obediently walking directly in his path?
By following him in faith, we were rewarded with provision. So too, will God reward our faith.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6
What was familiar about the man in the story that made us put our faith in him? I imagined feeling his compassion and peace. I imagined him to be Jesus.
Like we were provided for in our story, Jesus can provide for us too. God’s provision is a gift. But what we all need more than the gift is the giver.
In these crazy times, in faith let’s reach out to the Lord and follow wherever He leads. Our loving Heavenly Father wants to provide. Our faith will be rewarded!
REFLECTION
Are you facing a situation where you need the Lord to provide? In faith, can you follow Him trusting He will?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write Philippians 4:19 and say it aloud, implant Your loving words in my heart. Help me to have faith that You will answer and provide just as You have promised. In Jesus name, Amen.
IN FAITH ASK GOD TO PROVIDE
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May your day be filled with love and laughter!
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Photo snow, Tricia Kluge
Photo bear, Oxana Lyashenko, unsplash
Photo monkey, Mark Stoop, unsplash
Photo child, Istvan Kis, pixabay
