Last year I felt led by the Lord to do some personal studying in scripture on God’s character as our Provider.  Little did I know that I would also be led into a time of needing to rely on him completely as provider; not just “know” about it through studying the scriptures.  The following is a portion of what I have learned.  I thought that I’d share it with you in the hope that you would rely more on our Father to be your provider.

          Taking a look at the beginning, in Genesis we see God’s desire and nature to be our provider as he provides life to Adam. “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Gen 2:7)  In fact, ”he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.” (Acts 17:25b)  So we see that all life itself is provided by God.  From the most basic of needs, He provides. 

          This is no surprising fact to us Christians, and it is sometimes easy to let the grandness of that fact pass over the surface of our understanding.  So how else is God our provider?  We can take a look at the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 as an example of God’s desire to be Provider.  We know the story well.  Abraham had great faith in God and it stands as an example to us all of trusting in God.  However, the focus of the story is actually not on Abraham’s faith, but instead on God’s provision.  When Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the burnt offering was, he replied, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son."  Abraham did not just have faith in God, he had faith in God’s provision.  After God provided a sacrifice, so that Abraham would not sacrifice his only son, “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." (Gen. 22:14) When Abraham named that mountain “The Lord Will Provide,” he most likely did not know the prophetic name he was giving it.  Hundreds of years later, on that very same mountain, God would provide His only son to be sacrificed for us all.  Here we see again God’s nature as provider. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)  Here again God is providing us life, this time it is eternal life.

          God’s provision does not stop here.  He doesn’t just want to give us earthly life and eternal life.  He wants to be the Provider of all things in our life.  It is very apparent throughout the New Testament that our heavenly Father wants to be our provider.  He even tells us to ask him.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matt. 7:7-11)

        Jesus specifically addresses this desire as well when he speaks about the worry we have.  He says, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt. 6:33)  What would be the result of me completely knowing and believing 100% that God is my provider; that He does want to provide for me?  I believe that if we look at Matthew 6 we can see that the result would be a life free from worry.  Why do I worry and toil over my next paycheck?  Why do I worry and toil over the direction my life is headed in?  I believe my life gets cluttered with my own plans and strategies because I ultimately do not trust that God is my Provider.  I feel more in control if I have a plan to provide for myself.  It seems foolish to not worry about your life when life seems to be going in the wrong direction.  However, what we find after many failed plans is that, “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.” (Prov. 19:21)  Why make my own plans when God has a plan for me that will not fail?

        So where does this leave us?  If God is my provider, do I just sit in inactivity and passivity and wait on the Lord?  What is my role in all of this?  I believe this answer also can be found in scripture.

• Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt. 6:33)
• Remain in me, and I will remain in you. (John 15:4)
• If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
• If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. (John 15:7)

        Our interaction with God is to remain in Him and seek after His kingdom.  This in itself is an act of faith.  Walking closely with the Lord should be our number one priority.  Once we are there, we are not told to sit, but instead to ask, seek and knock (Matt. 7:7).  These are all active commands, which require faith and courage to do.  What if God asks us to seek after something that brings on fear?  Will we rely on Him as our Provider, or will we deny our faith in who God is and sit in the place of comfort?  Let’s look to the Lord as our Provider.  Let’s take Him at His word and move forward in our life.  Let’s abide closely to Him and then ask, seek and knock at opportunities for growth.  God is our Provider, and He is a powerful and good Provider.  Let’s put our faith into action and walk beside God knowing that He is the Provider of all we need.