When we think it's not enough...

When I quit working last year, my husband and I had to tighten our budget quite a bit, but we continued to save our change in a jar. For several years we collected the coins all year and by Christmas time we had enough to buy all our Christmas gifts. It was such a blessing to not stress over having "enough" money for gifts, which we enjoy giving. But this year, the change wasn't building up like it did in the past.       
On Mother's Day Sunday, it was announced in church that we would be offered an opportunity to give an offering for the Care Net Pregnancy Center.  Baby bottles were in the foyer and could be taken home to fill with coins. The bottles would be collected on Father's Day and given to the Center.  I grabbed a bottle and wondered if we would be able to find money in our budget to put in the bottle.  But on the way home from church, my husband remembered the change in our jar and thought it would be more than enough to fill the bottle.  I was skeptical.....

After we got home, we started transferring the coins to the bottle. We learned a lesson or two that day....as we had just enough change to fill the baby bottle.  And when it was counted...a $35 dollar offering was available!  An offering that far exceeded what my mind expected. An offering that I initially thought we couldn't afford to give.

When it comes to Jehovah Jireh, the God who Provides, two things are evident in Scripture.  One is that He provides enough and/or He provides an abundance to be used for His purposes.  Our coin jar seems to be  an example of God's gift of enough, like manna for the Israelites in the desert....manna for Christmas gifts, manna for gifts to His ministry to women in need during pregnancy.  A provision that was just enough--no more, no less, than what was needed to "fill" the empty stomach. Not a provision to be stored away, but one that must be used up for that which God intended, and according to His timing.

Isn't it just like God to teach us over and over that His provision is always enough for His plans...even when we can't see it?  Even when we question all the darkness in the world, all the poverty, all the illness, and the misery...when we are overwhelmed and feel totally inadequate to help those in need?  Even when our eyes just cannot see that it's enough...not enough for bills to be paid, for food to be bought, for medicine, doctors, transportation.....the list can go on until we only see what we see with these earth-cloudy eyes, and we only understand with our earth-centered minds. But God says this....

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, 
Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways, 
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9

When God's "enough" or His abundance cannot be seen, how are we to trust?

By FAITH....because by definition,  

"faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." 

Heb.11:1

Maybe where we go wrong, especially in America, is that our natural mind tends to think of provision as an abundance of material blessings.  Yet in Scripture, the term is applied not only to riches, but also to peace, comfort, lovingkindness, grace, and wisdom.  And although we often have to wait...we will mount up like eagles; when we are still...we will know that He is God; when we humble ourselves...He will give us grace; when we seek Him in faith...we will be rewarded; because His promises are all Yes in Christ Jesus, and because we are His children, He will take care of us...He WILL provide....

$35 in change--God's "enough"

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, 

according to the power that works within us, 

to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus 

to all generations forever and ever. Amen

Ephesians 3:20 

For further study....Psalm 72:7; 2 Cor. 1:5; Ps. 86:5; Rom. 5:17; James 1:5; Isa. 40:31; Psa. 46:10; James 4:6; Heb. 11:6; Matt. 6:25-34; Matt. 7:7-11 

1000 gifts of thanks

Touched and inspired by Ann Voskamp and her book, One Thousand Gifts, to start my own list of gifts of thanks.  May it inspire you too...to live a life of thanksgiving, and by so doing, find yourself seeing our Lord in every nook and cranny of life, living with God "in focus", tasting and seeing and hearing that the Lord, He is good......even when......yes.....even when.....

Thank you, Father (abba) God for:
1.time with a new friend, knowing she is a gift from you

2. the smell of fresh baked French bread, and
                                                   
fresh apricot cobbler
(fruit of my tree),
beginnings of a lunch to share with my new friend

3. a cool day--87 degrees instead of the 100+ degrees of the last week
4. a gathering of neighbors to have supper with--neighbors next door instead of miles and miles away like it used to be....
5. the blogosphere, where I have found a highway for expression of your thoughts in my mind...
6. for this day, of life to live, of memories to make, of thanks to give