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Jun 10, 2023 06:00am

Embracing Provision

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Mary and Joseph are famous. I probably don’t need to explain they were the mother and earthly father of Jesus Christ. Mary was chosen. Joseph was called out. Together, they parented and raised the Lord.

What an honor.

What an astonishing claim to fame!

But life was not easy from the beginning of their journey with Jesus: being tempted and encouraged to divorce; facing judgment and ridicule from a misunderstanding community; traveling while pregnant…without a modern mode of transportation mind you; giving birth in a dirty cave-barn of a place; having more questions than answers about all of it.

Yet, relishing the moments and being so connected to God, joy permeated.

I’ve been studying the moment, however, when Joseph is told Jesus’ young life was in danger and they needed to flee to Egypt to save Him. I mean, how strange in hindsight: for the Savior to save us, they needed to save Him. So, they left. And miraculously God, Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides, stepped in and made a way.

Just before this massive interruption to their toddler’s daily routine, “wise men” from the East had followed a star, stopped for a chat with King Herod in Jerusalem, and tracked down where Jesus was living.

They worshiped Him, and they gave Him gifts.
Very expensive and valuable gifts.

Now, we do not know for certain that these gifts were used for financial gain — they could be buried treasure somewhere in the Middle East right now — but many scholars believe Mary and Joseph were able to trade their value as provision for their costly escape to Egypt.

Regardless, we do know God provided for their journey and protected them along the way.

Over the last few days, I’ve been pondering and studying God’s provision and the principles from His word we can apply today.

Provision comes when we are living out God’s plan.

Mary and Joseph were living their life in complete surrender to God’s will. God never promises to provide for those attempting to live their own way. He does promise to provide all that is needed for His own purposes, glory, and plan.

When we find ourselves in need of God’s provision, we need to ask:

Am I living completely surrendered to the will of God and His plan for my life, or am I doing things my own way?

2. Provision is for what is necessary, not what is desired.

Often what we need and what we think we need or what we want are very different things. God doesn’t promise to provide the things we want. Mary and Joseph did not want to run to Egypt. They did not want to need God to provide in this way. Aside from their son, nothing about this was what they saw coming or what they desired. God promises what is necessary.

When we find ourselves wanting something from God, it is important to check our hearts and ask:

Do I need this, or do I just want it? How am I confusing the two?

3. Provision doesn’t make things easy. It makes things possible.

Can you imagine the emotional, physical and mental stress of the situation Mary and Joseph faced? It would have been unbearable to think about all of the innocent children who lost their lives at the hand of Herod as he pursued Jesus. The guilt. The heartache. The horror in their imaginations. Yes, God provided and protected them, and He made salvation possible where death was certain, but His provision did not make any of it easy.

When we find ourselves experiencing the protection and provision only God can give, we need to manage the expectations of our heart. We need to ask:

Do I expect or demand God’s provision to come with ease? Am I disappointed with my Father when things are hard? Do I recognize the lingering consequences of sin, mine or someone else’s, and thereby am I neglecting to embrace God’s hand of protection with a grateful and undeserving heart?

4. Provision is directly linked to obedience.

Throughout Scripture, we see this principle applied. When God’s people obey His commands, keep His word, follow His ways, He.is.faithful.

When provision seems lacking and when God seems distant, ask:

Am I being obedient? Did I actually follow through and do the last thing He asked of me? Do I genuinely seek to live in obedience to Him or do I just expect Him to come through because I have heard of His faithfulness?

God responds to obedience because His greatest desire, His ultimate aim, is our heart.

He just wants us.

Predominantly, all of God’s provision is underpinned by grace. Just like He chose Mary and Joseph to carry out His plans for Jesus, He chose us. He chose to make a way to have a real, meaningful, intimate relationship with us. He chose to send His son to save us from our sin. He saw His plan through, and He continues with it to this day.

We don’t deserve Him. We don’t deserve anything He provides.

Only by His grace.

I don’t know what you need today. I have no idea how your life has been interrupted or how you have experienced disappointment or pain, but I know this — God does. And if you belong to Him, His desire and His promise is to provide for you.

So, ask the questions.

Trust Him.

Align your heart to His and embrace the provision He has for you.

All glory to Jehovah Jireh.