Promised Provision

I grew up going to church. Every Sunday. I had all the perfect attendance pins for Sunday School. All the way through high school. I went to church camp and with my friend's to their church camps. I could recite all the books of the Bible. I knew all the disciples names. I knew all the Bible stories. I was secure in knowing about Jesus. But, no one ever taught me how to really know Him. How to have a relationship with Him. How to really trust and obey Him.

It was not until I was a young mother with two little girls that I did my first Bible study. I did some basic studies with some wonderful ladies. After about a year, we decided that it was time to really dig in and learn. I committed to a 12 week study. It was on the names of God. It was at a time in my life when things were beginning to crumble a bit. We had just received the diagnosis that my 55 year old father had early onset Alzheimer's. At that time, no one knew a lot about the disease. The next 13 years were long and scary and awful and blessed. All at the same time.

The first name we studied was Jehovah-Jireh. It means the Lord Will Provide. A more literal translation is that the Lord will see to it. That name rocked my world. I loved that promise and literally clung to it. Over the years, as my girls grew and as I grew in my walk and understanding, that name became such a sweet blessing for me. I knew that in all things He would see to it that I had all I needed. Not all I wanted. Not easy or perfect or happy. But all. His all. 

As I was looking over the wedding pictures, I found this one. Our church has the Names of God in wooden letters hanging around the outside walls of our sanctuary. A constant reminder that He surrounds us with His character and His love. What a sweet gift to see the father of my children and his beloved first born standing under that Name. He walked her toward her future because we knew that Jehovah-Jireh had provided us with what we needed to raise her and teach her and love her. We knew that that Provision would go with her into her new life. And that she too knows that Name. So does her sweet husband. As I continue to cling to that promise, He continues to provide all we need.

His Name provides peace. Cling to it with me today, sweet friends. Jehovah-Jireh. The Lord will Provide. He will give you all you need. Just ask and trust. Call Him by name. Tell Him your fears. Tell Him your hurts. Tell Him your needs. Trust Him to hear and answer. Give it all to Him. He will see to it!

So Abraham called that place

The LORD Will Provide.

And to this day it is said,

"On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."

Genesis 22:14