Divine Provision

‘And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations’ (Exod 16:33).

  

A healthy body, a sound mind and some material things like clothing and shelter are necessities for an accomplishment of one’s purpose in life. So Jesus said that, when we pray we should say, ‘give us this day our daily bread’, this proves that God is as sensitive about our material needs as He is, about our spiritual needs. The Bible is filled with countless examples of God providing for His children. God is referred to as Jehovah Jireh -our provider (Genesis 22:14). On the way to the Promised Land, God provided Israel with Manna - the bread of heaven, also neither their shoes nor clothing were worn out during that period of forty years on the road (Duet 8:4, Duet 29:5).   

As a reminder of His daily divine provision for His people, God commanded Moses to put a golden Jar filled with manner in the Ark of the Covenant (Exod16:33-34). Similarly, with the indwelling Spirit of God, a born again Christian is assured of God’s divine provision every day of his life. Jesus confirmed this in Mat 6:25-34 when he said, ‘do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink...’ God gave Israel some instructions about their collection of the manna. Below are important lessons that can be taken from those commands.

1.      Collect a certain quota of manna everyday (Exod 16:4).

2.      No one should leave any manna for the next morning. Some did and the manna bred worms and stank (Exod 16:19, 20).

3.      No collection of manna on the seventh day, some people did and found none (Exod 16:5, 27).

The lessons here are total dependence on God, avoiding greed, and being obedient to God’s word and His specific directions for our individual lives. Esau’s stomach cost him his birth right and blessings. Today, many people are in the wrong places, doing the wrong things and losing their blessings because of their stomach. In Phil 3:19, Paul said with weeping that, the stomach of some Christians have become their God and they are living as enemies of the cross with their minds set on earthly things. As a child of God, you operate in the economy of heaven and not the economies of this world, so do not allow your material needs to take the place of God in your life. Paul said my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory (Phil 4:19).

Through Abraham’s covenant relationship with God, he, Isaac and Jacob prospered in the midst of great famine. Isaac was blessed until he became the envy of his neighbors the philistines (Gen 26). However, remember that ‘Abraham didn't call God 'Jehovah Jireh' when the ram suddenly showed up. No, before there was a ram in sight and before they reached the place of sacrifice, Abraham said, '"God will provide..."' (Gen 22:8). Faith declares, 'Before I have a need, God has already put in place a divine provision.' Note what Abraham said: '"...In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided"' (Gen 22:14 NKJV, UCB, Word for today).

God is our source and our sufficiency is of Him. Today draw closer to Him in prayer, believe His word and take steps of faith as He gives you divine guidance. Hold onto your faith, knowing that help is on the way. The next lesson is “Divine Guidance”.