By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Backgroud: Over the past few days, a number of readers shared in their e-mail correspondence about situations in which they currently trust God for provision. Here is an excerpt from one such e-mail that inspired me, as the reader declares that God provides and supplies amidst raging storms in their lives: “For the past ten months, we have been struggling financially. There were moments in which I wondered how we will get through the week, but God intervened time and time again and supplied what we needed. In all this time, we have never gone to bed hungry. Today I know that He is able to provide and we can put our lives without fear in His hand! All honor to Him.”

Do you need to experience God’s hand of provision in your life today? Perhaps you are also struggling financially, you long for a baby of your own, a spouse, a better job or just something material, like your own car or home. Or maybe your child wants to go on a school trip, but you don’t know how you will be able to afford it? Your needs may also be emotional in nature - like longing for comfort from a broken heart after a failed relationship or you long to have good friends to relieve your loneliness. God knows what we need even before we ask Him. Yet, He wants us to ask Him, because He desires to have a relationship with us.

Should we ask God to provide?
Yes. In James 4: 2b, we read: “... you don’t have what you want, because you don’t ask God for it.” Also in Matthew 7: 7-8 is written: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it will be opened.” An action is required to receive. In Psalm 24: 1 we read that everything in the world belongs to God. He is the Source of our provision, so we can talk to Him confidently.

What should we do when we've told God what we need?
In Philippians 4: 6-7 we read: “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.” And in Mark 11:24 Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” When we, after we have told God what we want, begin to thank Him in faith that the breakthrough is on the way, it is a demonstration of our faith in Him.

Sometimes we get exactly what we prayed for. Other times, we get something completely different – but in the long run we will know that God knew best. And even though He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above what we can ask or think (Eph. 3: 20-21), He sometimes protects us by not immediately giving us what we ask for or by giving us something else. It is only in retrospect that we will realize His goodness.

Let us therefore begin to thank God today for what He is about to do. God bless.

Father God, thank You for Your provision. Help me not to panic if it feels as if I am trapped with my back against the wall, but rather to keep my eyes on You, knowing that You work beyond time and space as we know it. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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