Thanking “Jehovah Jireh”
(The Lord Provides)
Don’t I look Peaceful? And grateful?
by Cindy McMahon
I had a pretty “church lady” kind of week (led a Bible study and a college moms prayer group, arranged a speaker for a women’s group at church, went to Sunday service with my hubby). But I boldly tell you that the most Godly thing I did this week was cancel my High School Moms In Prayer group for this morning. Yep. Pulled the plug 12 hours before it was scheduled to meet.
You see, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed – it’s all good, godly stuff, but just too much of it! — and I’m not in a very “prayer group leader state of mind.” When church commitments become obligations, it’s time to take a time out. So I did.
This morning, instead of racing out with my prayer sheets, Bible and verses in hand, I stayed in my robe after I got the guys out the door. I sat down with my Bible and my thoughts and began to dwell in prayer with God on thankfulness and provision. What a peaceful morning we had together. Here’s what resulted: a devotional for us — my praying girlfriends and me — as we approach Thanksgiving week.
Truth: God provides what we need when we need it (not always what we want or when we want it!) We don’t always get what we want, and we often get things we really don’t want. But, with apologies to the Rolling Stones, “we get what we need!” And we get them from the Lord.
God provides us with everything we need to seek and find Him, and to live a life honoring him on this earth until we see him in Heaven. That is his promise. (Queue: I never promised you a rose garden…”)
He provides for us spiritually, physically and emotionally, and even provides us with wisdom and proper perspective. And, He provided for us in the most significant and life-altering way by providing the sacrifice – Jesus – for our sins so that we might dwell with Him in eternity, cleansed by the blood of our Savior.
As I reflected on some of the ways God continues to provide for me, I sought out these verses. I hope they will serve as reminders to you this week, as they did to me, that as we lift up our thanks to the God Who Provides, we are thanking He who knows us by name, hears the yearnings of our hearts, and provides for our most basic needs.
God provides:
- A way out of temptation
I Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
- Strength to do his will
I Peter 4:11: If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen
- Peace in times of fear or worry
Philippians 4:6,7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Necessities for Life
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 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? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
- Perspective about what’s important
Luke 10: 38-42 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
- Wisdom for dealing with difficult people/circumstances
James 1:18-20 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
After reflecting on these passages (thanks BlueLetterBible.org for making it easy to find them), I lifted up these prayers for all of us Praying Mamas and our families:
Travel: I pray for traveling mercies for all of us and our loved ones – whether going across country or across town. People get in a hurry and don’t necessarily look out for each other. Let’s have our heads up and our eyes bright and clear! Be defensive drivers and walkers! Don’t blame God if you crash your car while texting!
Harmony: I pray for peace and harmony in families where holidays mean strife. I pray that a true seed of thankfulness will be implanted in the hearts of all, and that the fruit of that thankfulness will be kindness and peace.
Freedom from Nagging: I pray that if our kids receive homework (now that’s evil!) to do over the break, that they will take ownership of it and that we can stay out of the nagging cycle with them. Same goes for those working on college apps – especially those that are due Nov 30 or Dec 1 (deep breath as I type that!) Again, I pray for us to offer a quiet, helpful spirit that is not pushy, nagging or badgering. Let’s keep this proverb in mind:
Proverbs 25:24: It is better to live in a corner of the roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman. (OUCH!)
Health/Rest: I pray that all of us and our families will be able to listen to our bodies – rest when we need rest or don’t feel well, rather than trying to “push through.” I pray for our immune systems as we are exposed to new and exciting bacteria as people move all across the country and into and out of our fair cities!
Loneliness: I pray that if you are spending the holiday away from your loved ones, or are estranged from those you most desire to be with, that you will seek and find the God of all comfort, who knows your name, loves you and will never leave you. I pray that you feel this in a palpable way, and that you find a way to serve others in His name in order to alleviate that loneliness, such as through a women’s shelter or food kitchen for the homeless, or by befriending someone else who may be suffering from loneliness. As we know, sometimes you can feel lonely in a room full of people.
Healing: I pray that if there is someone in your life – either dead or alive, someone who is long gone or who you might see – that has hurt you, betrayed you or abandoned you, that you will find it in your heart to forgive them. Not forgiveness in the sense of saying “oh, it’s ok,” but forgiveness in the way that says, “I won’t be defined by what this person did to me. By forgiving, I am handing their sin burden to the Lord to carry.” Remember that nothing that has been done to us that wasn’t also done to our innocent, sinless savior – often by those whom he should have been able to trust. He was abandoned, beaten, wrongly accused, lied to, yelled at, misunderstood, ignored, discarded, betrayed, and ultimately killed. HE KNOWS what we’ve been through and what if feels like. But his hurts and wounds do not define him – they were merely a chapter on his way to Glory – as are ours. And while you’re forgiving others, if you’re feeling guilty about something in your past that you’ve already asked God to forgive, provide yourself with that forgiveness now and move forward.
Stay thankful my friends.
McMusings 
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