He makes provision

“When God gives a vision, He makes provision.”- Mark Batterson

Mark Batterson begins Chapter 10 (“The Cattle on a Thousand Hills”) of The Circle Maker by acknowledging that the time lapse between our prayer requests and God’s answers often is longer than we would like.  Mark believes God must love the game of Chicken because He has the habit of waiting until the absolute last moment to answer our request to see if we’ll chicken out or pray (emphasis author’s).

As Pastor Batterson reads Scripture, he has come to the conclusion that God loves to show up in unexpected ways at unexpected times.  And God’s provision seems to be just enough just in time.  That was the case when God provided miraculous manna for the Israelites during their wilderness wandering.  God’s daily provision of manna was a reminder of the Israelites’ daily dependence on God.

Mark notes we’d all be more comfortable with a weekly, monthly, or yearly supply of God’s provision.  But we would lose our spiritual hunger if He provided too much too soon.  We’d stop trusting our Provider and begin trusting our provision.  While we crave self-sufficiency, Mark cautions that self-sufficiency does not equate with spiritual maturity:

“One of our fundamental misunderstandings of spiritual maturity is thinking that it should result in self-sufficiency.  It’s the exact opposite.  The goal isn’t dependence; the goal is codependence on God.  Our desire for self-sufficiency is . . . a desire to get to a place where we don’t need God, don’t need faith, and don’t need to pray.  We want God to provide more so we need Him less.”

Today’s question: When did God make provision for you just enough just in time?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “Holy complications”

 

He makes provision

God"s provision for my life

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”- Philippians 4:11-12

Today Bill Hybels discusses the second relevant central tenet forming the foundation for full financial reconciliation with God (Chapter 3 of Simplify).

2.  Live joyfully within God’s current provision for my life.  Pastor Hybels notes it is human nature to look for greener pastures and wish for better circumstances or an easier life.  It logically follows that if we were to get these things we would be happy.

If this is the case, the author notes, Americans should be among the happiest people on earth.  However, a 2012 Gallup Poll ranked the United States thirty-third on a happiness scale.  In contrast, seven of the top ten countries were in Latin America, an area ranking low on typical economic indicators associated with happiness.

Pastor Hybels comments on the beautiful words of St. Paul:

“Someone fully reconciled to God financially can joyfully accept God’s current level of provision for his or her life. . . . It is our responsibility to make adjustments so we can live within God’s provision and be joyfully content whether He provides a little or a lot in any given season.”

Today’s question: What Bible verses have fortified your trust in God’s provision following your vocation loss?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: “Examining your work life”

God"s provision for my life

Cloudy with a chance of quail

But Moses said (to the Lord), “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot and you say, ‘I will give you meat to eat for a whole month.’ “- Numbers 11:21

“Your job is not to crunch numbers and audit the will of God.”- Mark Batterson

As Mark Batterson continues Chapter 13 of The Grave Robber, he references the time the Israelites were in the wilderness and complained about eating manna every day (Numbers 11).  When the Lord promised the Israelites meat for a month, Moses did the mental math.  The numbers didn’t add up.

Pastor Batterson then asks what we do when the will of God doesn’t add up.  In Mark’s experience the will of God rarely adds up.  God’s output always exceeds our input.  Mark states that, by definition, a God-ordained dream always will be “beyond your resources and beyond your ability.”

The author truly believes that as long as we keep our eyes on thing near and dear to our heavenly Father’s heart, He will take care of the bottom line.  Although Moses couldn’t fathom how God would deliver on His promise of meat, Moses cashed in on that promise.  The quail were piled three feet deep over an area of approximately 700 square miles.  That providence, Mark notes, was a miracle of biblical proportions.

As Mark summarizes, recorded in the book of Numbers is a miracle that doesn’t add up: “But with God, it’s always cloudy with a chance of quail.”

Today’s question: What Scriptures have strengthened you trust in God’s provision?  Please share.

Tomorrow’s blog: the new Short Meditation. “Z marks the spot”

Cloudy with a chance of quail