Tag: God’s blessing

The LORD Will Provide

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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 4

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In my last post, Israel—Chosen by God: Jacob – Part 3, we learned about Jacob’s life in Haran after marrying Leah and Rachel, both daughters of his uncle Laban who lived in Paddan-aram (Haran).

We resume today with Jacob having just left Haran to return to his home in Canaan. He was actually fleeing Laban due to his deceit and hostility.

Laban found out about Jacob’s departure three days later and began to pursue him. It took him about seven days to catch up to him and he found him near Gilead, a hill country.

God sent Laban a warning to not harm Jacob.

But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

Genesis 31:24

When Laban encountered Jacob, he accused him of fleeing without allowing him to say goodbye to his daughters and grandchildren and send him off with a celebration. He also accused him of stealing his gods.

He told Jacob that he had every right to attack him, but the God of Jacob’s father spoke to him and warned him to not harm Jacob.

Jacob explained that he left without telling Laban because he was afraid that he would not allow him to leave with his wives. He also told him that he did not steal his gods and that he could search his camp for them. He also said that if he found them, the person who had them would die for stealing them.

Jacob didn’t know that his beloved Rachel had stolen them, but Laban never found them because she was sitting on top of them and made an excuse for not getting up to greet her father Laban.

I am certain that God protected Rachel because of His relationship with Jacob. She was not found out, so she lived.  

We can say that Rachel was blessed through this protection.

Jacob confronts Laban and tells him that he (Laban) has not been good to him even though he worked for him for 20 years (14 years for his wives) and made him wealthy; that he never took anything from Laban even though Laban cheated him by changing his wages ten times.

He acknowledged God’s blessing and protection in his life.

“If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”

Genesis 31:42

So, Laban and Jacob made a covenant between each other with God as a witness to their actions toward each other and their families. They set up stones as a pillar and marker that each would not cross over to do the other harm once they started back to their homelands.

Laban leaves the next morning after saying goodbye to his daughters and grandchildren and pronounces a blessing over them.

With Laban behind him, Jacob continues his journey toward Canaan with yet another concern on his mind.

His focus has turned toward Esau his brother, from whom he fled Canaan twenty years earlier.

Jacob sent servants as messengers ahead of him to meet Esau to ask for favor and to determine the safety of his family. They reported that Esau was on his way to meet him with four hundred men. Jacob divided his family into two camps so that one group would be able to escape if the other was attacked.   

The Bible says that Jacob greatly feared Esau and he called upon God to protect him.

And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

Genesis 32:9-12

Jacob then sent servants one by one ahead of him with droves of different animals as gifts for Esau to appease him, so that he would not attack him and his family.

He also sent his wives and children across the Jabbok River away from him for safety. He slept alone that night prior to meeting Esau.

God changes Jacob’s Name

That night the Angel of the LORD, Jesus Christ Himself, wrestled with Jacob until morning.

And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 

Genesis 32:24-30

Israel means “striver.” We have seen Jacob strive with several people, and now finally, God—and fighting with all his might, Jacob prevailed. He went from being a deceiver to a fighter.

Jacob just did not give up!

Jacob received a two-fold blessing from God. He was not only blessed, but was able to see God’s face and live. Jacob was not about to let go of the Angel of the LORD without a blessing. I believe that his intent was understood and favored by God probably because of his faith.

At this point, Jacob knew where he stood with God. He was His chosen son and would live for God out of relationship and love for Him.

When we surrender our lives to God and repent, He forgives us and protects us, but this does not mean that we will not have consequences.

Jacob certainly had consequences and learned his lesson about deceiving others.

My sincere wish for you is that you would not look at your past with shame, fear, or disillusionment, but that you would surrender to and trust God—right here, right now.

He loves you and will show Himself to you if you sincerely turn to Him in faith.

Jacob had great faith, and we are told that without faith, it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)

The Bible also says that we need faith only the size of a mustard seed. (Matthew 17:20)

Below is a song about never giving up in prayer to God.

“Don’t Stop Praying” – Matthew West

Join me next for Israel—Chosen by God: Jacob – Part 5