God's Provision
I am reading a book right now with my small group called, "Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible: Flawed women loved by a flawless God."
I love reading a book that provokes deep thought about God. I'm not into light reading and I don't have much interest in books that promote a man-centered message of what God can do for ME. I want to fully understand and appreciate what God has already done for me and focus my thoughts on how I can live a life of gratitude and obedience, glorifying Him in my day to day life. I want my life to be about God instead of making everything all about me. So I tend to gravitate toward books that challenge me. I mistakenly believed that this was probably not going to be the kind of book that would do that. But the book was recommended and it sounded interesting to the group, so we collectively decided we would read and discuss it.
They say you can't judge a book by its cover. Well, I'm finding this to be true. Because of the title, I expected a light read. But it has been deeply thought-provoking for me already and I have only finished the second chapter. I referred to my reading in the comments under yesterday's post when I spoke of Hagar and God's provision for her and Ishmael.
God used two different things to speak to me yesterday about the way He works in our lives. While I was walking on the treadmill, I watched our Easter message from last year (which was broadcast this Easter on channel 2). My pastor was talking about living in the midst of miracles and how we often don't recognize that we are in the middle of a miraculous event because we expect deliverance to be accompanied by rejoicing rather than suffering. But that is a mistake on our part. Some of the greatest miracles of the Bible demonstrate otherwise.
We can be under the weight of so much disappointment and heartache that we cannot see God's purposes or the deliverance God is bringing because we are focused on our own pain. I know this is so true because I have experienced it many times in my own life. I remember questioning God about specific events and asking, "How can this be happening? I've tried so hard. I thought I wanted the right things. I did not ask you to make me happy. I did not ask for a perfect life. I wanted to do what was right." It seemed like some of my circumstances could not possibly be according to God's will for my life. But when God's deliverance became visible, I could look back in hindsight and see the fingerprints of God on the entire situation; especially the parts I had been unable to understand in the moment. God had something much better for me than what I was trying so desperately to cling to. He was liberating me in the midst of my protest. God used things that were intended to harm me for my good. But I couldn't always recognize that in the midst of my suffering.
God is outside of time. He sees the whole story at once. There are no missing puzzle pieces for God. His sovereignty over all creation is something I am only beginning to comprehend. He is so far above our thoughts and our ways.
Later in the day I was reading about Abraham, Sarah and Hagar. The author of the book pointed out details in the story that I had not focused on, even though I've read the story many times. I love Bible stories that demonstrate how God uses everything for our good, even things not intended for good by other people. And the author showed how God had done this for Hagar. The story focused my thoughts on God's sovereignty and provision in my own life. God had all the details of my deliverance worked out before He delivered me from certain situations. He provided for my needs far in advance. He is intimately involved in every detail of our lives.
These words from "Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible" had great significance for me and reminded me of the miracles I have experienced in my own life through God's provision:
Then God opened her eyes... Genesis 21:19
Interesting phrase: not "Hagar opened her eyes," but "God opened Hagar's eyes."
...and she saw a well of water. Genesis 21:19
She had stopped because her skin of water was empty, yet there was a well not a stone's throw away. Had Hagar missed this life-giving source because she was so wrapped up in her troubles? If so, we'll not condemn her for it; God doesn't. When we're in pain, we're often unaware of our surroundings. Our gaze is unfocused, our attention turned inward. Faces and voices are fuzzy, muted. If Hagar needed help seeing the obvious, her dire circumstances earn her a measure of grace.
...did God make the well miraculously appear? Nothing is too difficult for him, especially not providing for so basic a human need...So was this an eye-opening revelation for Hagar or a well-timed act of divine provision?...Either way, it was miraculous.
...Unlike Abraham's short-term supply, God provided Hagar "with a source of water that will endure." Not a mere skin of water, but a flowing stream in the desert. We see the pattern repeated all through Scripture: our efforts are temporal; the Lord's provision is eternal.
TRUE FREEDOM IS FOUND ONLY IN GOD
When Sarah insisted her husband cast Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness, she unwittingly gave mother and son their freedom. Sarah intended to harm them, but God intended it for good to accomplish his perfect will...Sarah emancipated Hagar from slavery, yet God freed Hagar and her son from imminent death and gave them new lives in their homeland. The Lord stands ready to set us free as well: from past mistakes that have a stranglehold on us, from present burdens too heavy to bear, from a future that appears murky and uncertain. When we embrace that freedom with our whole hearts and trust him to guide us, our feet will have wings.
I love reading a book that provokes deep thought about God. I'm not into light reading and I don't have much interest in books that promote a man-centered message of what God can do for ME. I want to fully understand and appreciate what God has already done for me and focus my thoughts on how I can live a life of gratitude and obedience, glorifying Him in my day to day life. I want my life to be about God instead of making everything all about me. So I tend to gravitate toward books that challenge me. I mistakenly believed that this was probably not going to be the kind of book that would do that. But the book was recommended and it sounded interesting to the group, so we collectively decided we would read and discuss it.
They say you can't judge a book by its cover. Well, I'm finding this to be true. Because of the title, I expected a light read. But it has been deeply thought-provoking for me already and I have only finished the second chapter. I referred to my reading in the comments under yesterday's post when I spoke of Hagar and God's provision for her and Ishmael.
God used two different things to speak to me yesterday about the way He works in our lives. While I was walking on the treadmill, I watched our Easter message from last year (which was broadcast this Easter on channel 2). My pastor was talking about living in the midst of miracles and how we often don't recognize that we are in the middle of a miraculous event because we expect deliverance to be accompanied by rejoicing rather than suffering. But that is a mistake on our part. Some of the greatest miracles of the Bible demonstrate otherwise.
We can be under the weight of so much disappointment and heartache that we cannot see God's purposes or the deliverance God is bringing because we are focused on our own pain. I know this is so true because I have experienced it many times in my own life. I remember questioning God about specific events and asking, "How can this be happening? I've tried so hard. I thought I wanted the right things. I did not ask you to make me happy. I did not ask for a perfect life. I wanted to do what was right." It seemed like some of my circumstances could not possibly be according to God's will for my life. But when God's deliverance became visible, I could look back in hindsight and see the fingerprints of God on the entire situation; especially the parts I had been unable to understand in the moment. God had something much better for me than what I was trying so desperately to cling to. He was liberating me in the midst of my protest. God used things that were intended to harm me for my good. But I couldn't always recognize that in the midst of my suffering.
God is outside of time. He sees the whole story at once. There are no missing puzzle pieces for God. His sovereignty over all creation is something I am only beginning to comprehend. He is so far above our thoughts and our ways.
Later in the day I was reading about Abraham, Sarah and Hagar. The author of the book pointed out details in the story that I had not focused on, even though I've read the story many times. I love Bible stories that demonstrate how God uses everything for our good, even things not intended for good by other people. And the author showed how God had done this for Hagar. The story focused my thoughts on God's sovereignty and provision in my own life. God had all the details of my deliverance worked out before He delivered me from certain situations. He provided for my needs far in advance. He is intimately involved in every detail of our lives.
These words from "Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible" had great significance for me and reminded me of the miracles I have experienced in my own life through God's provision:
Then God opened her eyes... Genesis 21:19
Interesting phrase: not "Hagar opened her eyes," but "God opened Hagar's eyes."
...and she saw a well of water. Genesis 21:19
She had stopped because her skin of water was empty, yet there was a well not a stone's throw away. Had Hagar missed this life-giving source because she was so wrapped up in her troubles? If so, we'll not condemn her for it; God doesn't. When we're in pain, we're often unaware of our surroundings. Our gaze is unfocused, our attention turned inward. Faces and voices are fuzzy, muted. If Hagar needed help seeing the obvious, her dire circumstances earn her a measure of grace.
...did God make the well miraculously appear? Nothing is too difficult for him, especially not providing for so basic a human need...So was this an eye-opening revelation for Hagar or a well-timed act of divine provision?...Either way, it was miraculous.
...Unlike Abraham's short-term supply, God provided Hagar "with a source of water that will endure." Not a mere skin of water, but a flowing stream in the desert. We see the pattern repeated all through Scripture: our efforts are temporal; the Lord's provision is eternal.
TRUE FREEDOM IS FOUND ONLY IN GOD
When Sarah insisted her husband cast Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness, she unwittingly gave mother and son their freedom. Sarah intended to harm them, but God intended it for good to accomplish his perfect will...Sarah emancipated Hagar from slavery, yet God freed Hagar and her son from imminent death and gave them new lives in their homeland. The Lord stands ready to set us free as well: from past mistakes that have a stranglehold on us, from present burdens too heavy to bear, from a future that appears murky and uncertain. When we embrace that freedom with our whole hearts and trust him to guide us, our feet will have wings.
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