My husband and I just finished spending about an hour together in prayer and came out feeling so very encouraged by the Lord.
As we closed, the following passages came to mind. I know many here are looking with trepidation to the days ahead as we as a nation and as families face an unknown future: a shaky economy, a new president, worldwide conflicts, etc.
I want to share with you the thoughts the Lord brought to my mind this evening so you, too, may be encouraged:
Matthew 6:25-34
Do Not Be Anxious
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Then I recalled how in the direst of economic times, God supernaturally provided for Elijah in not just one, but in
two very different and amazing ways:
1 Kings 17:1-6
Elijah was a prophet from Tishbe in Gilead. One day he went to King Ahab and said, "I'm a servant of the living LORD, the God of Israel. And I swear in his name that it won't rain until I say so. There won't even be any dew on the ground." Later, the LORD said to Elijah, "Leave and go across the Jordan River so you can hide near Cherith Creek. You can drink water from the creek, and eat the food I've told the ravens to bring you."
Elijah obeyed the LORD and went to live near Cherith Creek. Ravens brought him bread and meat twice a day, and he drank water from the creek. Note that the Scripture doesn't give us Elijah's reaction to this news! SAY WHAT??!! Ravens were to bring him food??!! I *SO* wish I could go back in time and overhear this conversation and see the look on Elijah's face as he heard this message.
But eventually, the river dried up...and yet before Eljah could even take a moment to complain or worry (or should have--perhaps he did and Scripture is mercifully silent here)
1 Kings 17:7
But after a while, it dried up because there was no rain. So then it was time for another miraculous provision:
1 Kings 17:8-16
The LORD told Elijah, "Go to the town of Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I've told a widow in that town to give you food."
When Elijah came near the town gate of Zarephath, he saw a widow gathering sticks for a fire. "Would you please bring me a cup of water?" he asked. As she left to get it, he asked, "Would you also please bring me a piece of bread?"
The widow answered, "In the name of the living LORD your God, I swear that I don't have any bread. All I have is a handful of flour and a little olive oil. I'm on my way home now with these few sticks to cook what I have for my son and me. After that, we will starve to death."
Elijah said, "Everything will be fine. Do what you said. Go home and fix something for you and your son. But first, please make a small piece of bread and bring it to me. The LORD God of Israel has promised that your jar of flour won't run out and your bottle of oil won't dry up before he sends rain for the crops."
The widow went home and did exactly what Elijah had told her. She and Elijah and her family had enough food for a long time. The LORD kept the promise that his prophet Elijah had made, and she did not run out of flour or oil. Note that each day's need was met on the day it was needed.
And God used Elijah to meet the need of this widow and her son.
Remember the Psalmist who said,
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread. God is good all the time, ALL the time, God is good.
***********
As we prayed about our immediate future, we began to feel peace...then excitement: God has opened up a new door of opportunity for our family--and we're being prepared to walk through it. My husband even got bold enough in prayer to ask of the Lord that perhaps his earning power might perhaps be increased sufficiently--without him having to work more than he already is--so as to not necessitate me finding another job. To not have to work would SO free me up to minister in our community. To not be tied down so much would be a big blessing. I could better care for the needs of my husband and children and household too.
As we dared ask this of the Lord, we saw how thanks to the increase my husband has had in his earnings in recent months, I really wouldn't have to completely replace my current earnings...if we stopped spending on the extras we'd started to allow ourselves with increasing frequency in the last year. We really do not need anything right now.
ETA: And we also prayed that perhaps the Lord would both send us Elijahs and allow us to be Elijahs to others...God's hand of provision.
We ended with a spirit of expectancy. Waiting to see just what the Lord will bring to pass in the coming weeks!
I know that many here are facing many worrisome situations...and I just want to encourage you to stop...
and Consider the Lillies.
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