Provision

All my life I have been blessed to have great providers in my life. Mom and Dad provided food, shelter, love and money as I grew up. My grandparents provided a little more of all that. My friends provided me an outlet for competitiveness, fun and recreation. Some have provided good counsel...others, not so much! The schools provided me teachers who provided an education. God provided me with a second chance.

As I got older I began to work and was able to provide myself with some things. And for the past 12 years I have been a provider for my family. Since taking on a leadership role in the church 11 years ago I have provided others with biblical leadership and counsel. And all along the way, there were other providing for me. My wife, my family, my friends, and God...all the great providers in my life.

For the past 8 years Jimmy provided me with alot - friendship, leadership, wisdom, insight, understanding, tons of laughs and occasionally a little tough love. When Jimmy passed away one of my first thoughts was for Tricia and the boys. They had lost their provider. Jimmy was the breadwinner of the house. He was the man, the leader, the protector, the husband and the father. How would they make it without him?


But I have recently come to realize something I have long known but not understood - that God is the provider of all those things.

When Jimmy left this planet he did not leave his family without a provider. God is and always has been the Provider. He chose Jimmy to be the conduit of his provision for Tricia, Braxton, and Auston as well as me and many of you. Well, that particular conduit is gone now. But God's provision is not. He is simply re-routing it.


The love, leadership, protection, peace, care, money and things Jimmy brought to his family will still come in. But others will bring them. We are all blessed to be a blessing. Some of us are blessed financially so we will bless financially. Some of us are blessed with specific knowledge or wisdom so we will bring those things. Some of us have the gift of love to offer. Some are blessed in many areas and will bring abundant blessings. Regardless of your blessing, your gift, God has provided it to you and He wants you to provide it to others.


Indeed, He provides all things to all people:

God is love.
He is the father to the fatherless.
He is the Bread of Life and living water.
His wisdom is just one ask away.
He is the Prince of Peace.
He is the perfect Priest.
He is the Protector.
God is the lover of our souls.
He is the healer of broken hearts.
He is the Great Physician.
He is a friend...not just of the religious or upright, but also of sinners.
All the wealth in the world is God's and he can do with it as he pleases.
He says that he provides food for the animals and 'clothes' for the plants.
And how much more does he love us?

So much so that he provided us with a way to spend eternity with him. "For God so loved the world that he gave (provided) his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16


And that is the greatest provision of all.