Provision

The following is the testimony that I gave in church last night. A testimony is what God is doing in your life right now. If yours hasn't changed since you were first saved, wake up and look around. You're bound to have missed something.

I’ve always been a WORD person. I love words. I love to know exactly what a specific word means. I love to know where a word comes from and how its meaning has changed over time.
What do you think of when you hear the word PROVISION?
Something provided.
A means for meeting a need.
In the old west, when you were getting a wagon train together, provisions were food.
I found this definition the most interesting of all: arrangement or preparation BEFOREHAND, for the doing of something or the meeting of needs. Remember that word BEFOREHAND.
I also looked up synonyms for provision: plan, preparation and ... bread!

Last summer I was the beneficiary of the Lord’s provision in more ways than I knew at the time. On May 29th, Mr. H and I were at a restaurant for our 26th anniversary. Our main topic of discussion was my mom, who had been admitted to the hospital in Brandon that day. That day would be the last normal day for me for the next 6 weeks. Six weeks doesn’t sound very long but going through it seemed endless. And already, the provision was there.

My children were old enough for me to leave them to themselves for a while. My husband has always been understanding of my need to take care of my mom, especially after my dad passed away. My co-workers (and even some people who didn’t work at the church) were supportive and willing to take on my responsibilities while I was gone. I left to take care of Mom.

While I was gone, VBS came and went. I have led the music rotation of VBS for more years than I can remember. That year God provided a young lady still in high school as the music leader. He had been getting her ready for that role for a while.

Mom was released from the hospital, but after a few days with her, I knew she couldn’t take care of herself. So on Father’s Day, my husband graciously brought his mother-in-law to live in his house. During the time she was home with us, I didn’t eat much and slept even less. Without God’s provision, I would not have been able to care for her like she needed.

This seems to be full of “I” and “me.” When the world closes in on you at times like that, you lose perspective. You get a kind of tunnel vision, like looking through a narrow tube. You can’t see beyond yourself.

During those weeks, I don’t ever remember calling out for God. You call out for Someone who is far away. For Someone Who is right there, you don’t have to call out: you just lean on Him without thinking. And that’s what I did. You accept the comfort His presence offers, even when it doesn’t feel comfortable. You let Him lead when you’re too weary to know what to do or which way to go.

God took Mom home on a Sunday morning. She was back in the hospital, but down here in George County. God had provided an ICU nurse on that shift who was a neighbor of mine, so he knew just how long it would take us to get from home to the hospital. Dr. T was there for my brother and me. He came to the hospital to deliver some of God’s comfort in person before having to head back to the church to preach.

I left the hospital for the last time about 11:30 that morning. I knew there was no one at my house. My family was where they always are on Sunday morning. I knew exactly where I was headed: right here. Church wasn’t over yet and the hallways were mostly empty. Mark saw me come in the preschool building and went off to find Mr. H. I found El’s classroom and her teacher took me right in. That was God’s provision again. He had planned ahead for me. He had provided this church family for me to come home to.

Nothing takes Him by surprise. He has plans for it all. He has planned ahead for everything you’ll ever need. He has bread for you. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the ultimate Provision, the perfect Supply for all the things we truly need. He will always be there for you. All you have to do is ask.