Tag: Chosen by God

The LORD Will Provide

On By Carmen1 Comment

I feel compelled to write about how faithful our Heavenly Father is when we are affected by devastating news.

It could be any measure of disconcerting events that happen to us that leave us bewildered, angry, but most of all anxious about our future.

Lately, I have prayed for several people who have lost their jobs due to downsizing, poor economic conditions, or changes in company vision.

So, for this post, I’ll write about my similar experience of being laid off years ago along with where God has brought me to today.

I also want to share an inspiring story in the Bible of one of the most beloved kings chosen by God.

My Loss Led to Greater Faith in God

I want to share my experience of a layoff several years ago as a single woman, understanding what it is to overcome the fear of losing a consistent paycheck after many years of hard work, diligence, and settling into a certain lifestyle.

My first reaction apart from fear was “how unfair” and then “how will I make it?” Even with some savings and a severance package, I knew that I had to find another job that could pay the bills.

My second reaction was, “God, please help me!”

That should have been my first reaction.

God already knew what I would be facing at that moment in time, and He was working behind the scenes. I could not see it at the time, but I learned through this scary experience that He alone would help me.

My Jehovah Jireh. My Provider.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

As time passed, I saw God work to provide everything I needed.

I did not miss a meal and I was able to keep my apartment and pay all my bills on time. I am grateful that I had some savings and I adjusted my spending.

I took odd jobs while networking and sending out resumes, until a better opportunity opened up with better pay.

I do remember along the way that I promised God that I would do whatever work He provided for me—and I did.

I was already a Christian seeking after God and reading His word daily. I attended church and volunteered in different capacities that He led me to.

I was His child and I understood that He would provide. I just needed to learn it from experience!

It was the only way that I could know for sure that He is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He will do in His word.

This opportunity opened my eyes and helped my faith grow exponentially. It simply drew me nearer to God and prepared me for the next opportunity to grow in faith.

King David’s Experience of Faith in God

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will consider all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

Psalm 77:11-12

This Psalm was written by Asaph, King David’s music director. I encourage you to read the Psalm in its entirety.

It encourages us to remember the good God has already done to and for us—to remember how we struggled before and God saw us through it.

If nothing else, we should realize that as we were each once a newborn baby, God has brought us this far and we’re still breathing, even if we’ve had to face difficulties.

In my studies of the Bible, I love the story of how David rose to King as a shepherd boy.

This is not just a story—it is historical fact about the life of King David whom God said was a man after His own heart.

Although David was anointed king as a teenager, he had to wait several years until he was crowned king.

He faced many hardships and had to flee for his life from King Saul. He became a great warrior and although he had the opportunity, he never wronged or attacked King Saul.

David’s rise to kingship was not just happenstance. Nor was it due to David’s human ability, but to God’s divine providence.

It was God who destined David to be king.

It was God who showed Himself mightily to David by giving him the ability to kill a lion and a bear as a shepherd boy.

It was God who made David a great warrior.

It was God who supported David and defeated his enemies before him.

It was God who caused the Israelites to love David and accept him as King.

It was all God!

David just had to believe in God and believe that He was for him.

David had to want God in his life, seek after Him, and follow His ways.  

If you’ve read about King David, you know that he was not a perfect man, but he loved God and relied upon Him for his very existence.

When he was brought to reckon with his sin, he repented before God and was willing to accept God’s consequences for his sin. He acknowledged his sin and sought God for forgiveness.

The Bible tells us that in the future King David will rule with his descendant, our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, during the Millennial Kingdom and throughout eternity.

My Life of Faith in God Today

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and rejoice in you;
    I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

This psalm was written by King David and I have adopted it as my motto in life.

I will praise God continually for His goodness in my life. He has brought me from a struggling, seeking young woman of God to a seasoned, thankful servant of God.  

It’s been a few years since that layoff left me scared and falling on my knees before God, but I have chosen to continually walk in faith with Him.

There have been many blessings and lifestyle changes that give credence to God’s goodness in my life.  

One is the freedom to write this blog to tell of God’s goodness to any who is interested in reading it.

By freedom, I mean that this is my “job” now (I prefer to call it my service to the LORD Jesus), which was made possible by God’s blessing in my husband’s ability and work that provide an income that surpasses what he and I used to make together.

I remind myself and my husband daily that all our blessings come from God and that our security is in Him only.

We still have challenges along with goals that we’d like to achieve, but we keep our eyes on Jesus.

As my husband is now in sales, there is always the possibility of losing a customer that could upend our current living situation; so, the threat of a financial setback is consistent. But…  

We trust in God who has done great things for us.

We trust in His word and that He’ll do what He says He’ll do.

We trust that He is for us and not against us.

We trust that if He gave up His most prized possession, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us that there is no good thing that He will withhold from us.

We trust that we will be with Him in eternity because of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross.

We trust Him and submit to Him as our Savior.

He loves us and He loves you too!

I hope that this blog has and will continue to bless you as you seek after God and purpose to walk in His ways.

Enjoy this song below as you contemplate God’s goodness, power, and love for you.

It’s one of my favorites and has blessed me when walking through uncertain times.

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my previous posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.

Israel—Chosen by God:  Jacob – Part 2

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If you read my previous post, “Israel—Chosen by God: Jacob – Part 1,” you know that Jacob received the family blessing by deceiving his father Isaac and his brother Esau.

He is now fleeing Canaan to live with his uncle Laban in Paddan-aram, also known as Haran. He is running for his life, away from Esau who was planning to kill him as soon as their father dies. He is sent there by his father and his mother Rebekah. They not only want to protect Jacob, but also want him to choose a wife from his uncle Laban’s daughters.

Isaac blesses him and instructs Jacob before leaves.

“You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women. Arise, go to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father, and take as your wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!”
Genesis 28:1b-4

On his way to Haran, Jacob stopped for the night and found a place to rest. While sleeping, he had a dream about a ladder that reached all the way up to heaven. He saw the angels of God going up and down the ladder, and then the LORD stood above the ladder and spoke to him.

“…I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Genesis 28:13-15

Jacob woke up and realized that God was there with him, so he took the stone that he used for a pillow and poured oil over it as a landmark to honor God and named the place Bethel, which means house of God. Jacob vowed to worship God and tithe all his earnings if God would protect and provide for him, while leading him securely along the way to Haran and back again to his father’s house.

Jacob undoubtedly remembered the blessing that his father Isaac pronounced over him and he had great expectations. In those days, a family blessing was taken very seriously and believed word for word.

This is why it’s so important for us to speak words of blessing and goodness to our children and teach them about God’s faithfulness. We can achieve our goals if they align with God’s will. 

Jacob continues his journey east to Haran and stops at a well where the local shepherds were watering their sheep. He talks with the shepherds about Laban whom they know and is told that he is well. At that moment, a young lady, Rachel, comes to the well with her father’s sheep, and the shepherds let him know that she is Laban’s daughter.

He is very happy that he finds his family that he traveled so far to meet, and tells Rachel that her father is his mother’s brother. She runs to tell her father Laban who then goes to meet Jacob and embraces him and invites him to stay with him. They share stories and Laban recognizes that Jacob is truly his kinsman. He invites Jacob to stay with him a while, so Jacob begins to work for Laban.

When we belong to God, He is faithful and orchestrates our future—just as He did for Jacob.

After a month’s work, Laban asks Jacob what he wants as wages in return for his work. During the time that Jacob works for Laban, he falls in love with Rachel whom the Bible describes as beautiful. He tells Laban that he will work for him for seven years for Rachel to be his wife. Laban agrees.

It’s important to know that Rachel has an older sister named Leah.

So, Jacob stays and works for Laban for seven years. When this time is completed, he goes to Laban to ask for Rachel in marriage. Laban plans a big wedding feast and in the evening after the ceremony, he takes his eldest daughter Leah to Jacob.

I am not sure why Jacob doesn’t recognize that Leah is with him instead of Rachel—maybe it was too dark for him to see her on their wedding night. The Bible doesn’t give an explanation.

When morning comes, Jacob realizes that he’s been deceived by Laban! The cheater has himself been cheated!

I hate to say it, but “what goes around, comes around.”

Jacob confronts Laban and is told that it is their custom for the eldest daughter to be given in marriage first. He tells Jacob to stay and complete the marriage week with Leah, and then he will be given Rachel for another seven years of work.  

Laban is all too eager to keep Jacob, because he knows God is with him and blesses him in all that he does. Laban reaps these benefits with Jacob working for him and wants to keep him as long as he can.

No doubt Jacob loved Rachel, but now he had to trust Laban once again.

The Bible tells us that Jacob stayed and worked another seven years, and was finally given Rachel to marry.

God is faithful

…when we have been betrayed

…when we cannot see the path forward

…when we ourselves have sinned against Him and others

If we belong to God, He has a plan for our lives— just as he had for Jacob.

We must be willing to trust Him even when the news is bad, or when everything seems like it’s going in the wrong direction.

I have included a song below that speaks to God’s faithfulness. I hope you enjoy it.

“Faithful” – Chris Tomlin

Please join me next for Israel—Chosen by God:  Jacob – Part 3