The LORD is Able

It's wonderful to witness the power and provision of God at work in another person.  It's even more incredible when you have firsthand experience yourself of God speaking through His simple yet miraculous ways.  Sometimes a simple impression on my heart through reading the Word or a coordination of events undeniably confirms just what I've been thinking or feeling.  This week I had a lovely reminder of how God will provide for me and my family.

It began with God challenging me to trust Him in the area of finances.  We all know that God "owns the cattle on a thousand hills" in our brains, but we can falter when it means giving by faith.  As I sought the LORD's direction through prayer concerning giving, I came across an appropriate passage in 2 Chronicles 25.  King Amaziah had hired men from the tribe of Ephraim as mercenaries and paid them 100 talents of gold, a kingly sum.  A prophet of God visited Amaziah and told him not to allow the men of Ephraim to fight alongside the warriors of Judah, because God was not with them.  2 Chronicles 25:9 reads, "Then Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?" And the man of God answered, "The LORD is able to give you much more than this."  Amaziah asks the prophet, "But what about my money?  What about the loss of my investment?"  The prophet shot back, "God can give you much more than this."

Upon reading this passage, in my heart it was confirmed what I must do in the area of giving.  I took confidence in God and His Word and made a decision to follow through.  Money will come and go, but the Word of the LORD will endure forever.  I would have been happy with only this passage, but God gave me two more reminders of His faithfulness to provide.  Later in the day I opened my bank account and saw that we had received a financial gift from friends.  The words used to describe the transaction which grabbed my attention in all caps:  "GIFT FROM GOD."  How cool is that?  Immediately after logging onto the site, I called my bank and spoke to one of the representatives.  At the very end of the conversation in a very offhand way she said, "Oh, I see your savings account is at 4.75%  How about I raise that for you to 5.75% for three months?"  I hadn't asked for gifts, I hadn't asked for a better interest rate.  But in His natural, supernatural way, to me God said this:  "See?  I haven't forgotten about you, and I will provide for your needs.  Trust me!"

How awesome is our God!  He doesn't promise us earthly riches, for all of this worldly system will someday pass away.  But God uses it to show us how much more we need to trust and rely upon Him to supply those needs.  Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven, and we ought to spend the remainder of our days on earth obeying and glorifying Him.  Our God is one who lives, sees, provides, and speaks.  Our God is able!  I close with the benediction of Ephesians 3:20-21:  "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."