Tonight, Julie looked at the subject of God’s miraculous provision, reminding us all of Paul’s words in Phil 4:19: ‘And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.’ She looked at three examples of God’s provision, two of which seem clearly miraculous and one which seems quite mundane, reminding us that we should perhaps focus more on the fact of God’s provision than on the means!
In 1 Kings 17, we see how the prophet Elijah’s word about no rain meant that he himself was affected by the subsequent drought and famine. His faithfulness in proclaiming God’s word meant he saw God’s faithfulness in providing for him, first of all by sending ravens twice a day to bring him bread and meat and then by replenishing a widow’s stock of flour and oil so that it did not run out! God worked in miraculous ways to provide the essential food Elijah required, and Jesus encouraged us to pray too for daily bread and trust God to provide for our material needs (see Matt 6:25-34).
In 2 Kings 7, during another famine, Elisha spoke out about how God would bring an end to the siege of Samaria and how He intervened to make the Arameans believe they were being attacked and thus fled from the city, leaving food, drink, silver, gold and other items free for Israel to take. This was discovered by lepers (the outcasts of society) who witnessed miraculous provision from God.
Yet the book of Ruth shows us that provision can come in more mundane, ordinary ways and that God’s law made provision for the foreigner, poor and needy (see Lev 19:9-10), Ruth, from Moab, has suffered bereavement, but chosen to return to Israel with her mother-in-law. In one of many ‘God-incidences’, she gleans food from the field of Boaz, who ‘just happens’ to be a relative of Elimelek, her father-in-law. Ruth saw God’s provision and protection in the person of Boaz. Not only did Boaz treat her kindly and generously, as a close relative of Elimelek, he took on the role of guardian-redeemer and ultimately married her. (Ruth 3-4) Ruth and Boaz had a son, Obed, who became the grandfather of David, probably the greatest king of Israel. Ruth saw God’s provision and protection in every area of her life, and yet the means of this provision must have seemed so very ordinary to her. This is a reminder that we can be the means of God’s provision to others and that God wants to use us to bless others (see 2 Cor 8-9).
God’s generosity and kindness to us are seen in His provision for us. Our God truly will meet our needs as we trust in Him.