God the Provider
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a wonderful name for God.
One of the most comforting truths that a Christian can rest on is that God will provide. It’s what Jehovah Jireh means: God will provide; it’s one of the names of God. And we first learn about God as the Provider in Genesis Chapter 22. It’s where Abraham is up on the mountain with Isaac, his son. God had told Abraham to take his precious son up to Mount Moriah and sacrifice him on an altar. Abraham had to have been stymied by this request, even bewildered. He knew that God hated human sacrifice, so what could this command mean: sacrifice your son? “Your one and only son,” as God refers to Isaac, as if rubbing salt into the wound.
This did not make sense. Now, we are never told if this caused a crisis of faith in Abraham, but it had to be close. I mean, Isaac was the long-awaited for child that God had promised to Abraham. And I’m sure when Abraham realized he was way too old to have children, he nevertheless hung on to the promise, so why now? Why in the world would God want him to kill his own child? The very child through whom many more believers would come?
I have to believe Abraham wondered these things. So there they are, father and son, up on the mountain with his son tied to the altar; with Abraham holding the knife in hand, if ever there were a desperate need, it was then. Abraham was just about to plunge the knife into Isaac’s heart, to sacrifice him. But at that instant, God said, “Stop.” And God provided a ram to be the offering — God the provider. Jehovah Jireh.
Now yes, I realize that this story teaches us that when we have needs God will provide. When we think we cannot wait any longer, just in the neck of time, God will come through and provide what is needed. But there’s a bigger story. The story of Abraham foreshadows when God the Father gave His one and only Son, the One long waited for; the Promised One. And God the father would lead His son up on another mountain, Mount Calvary. There, His Son would be tied to the altar, so to speak. But why? Why would God the Father want to kill His own child, the very child through whom many more believers would come? Angels must have held their breath, waiting for God to provide a substitute such as He did with Abraham, but not this time. There would be no other ram, so to speak. God would provide Himself as the offering. It would be the Lamb of God, Jesus: the One who provides. And this sacrifice was more than sufficient, because Jesus rose from the dead a short time later. That is the most wonderful, beautiful, most powerful story of God as a provider.
No wonder Jehovah Jireh is so exalted among the many names of God, because that name demonstrates like no other, the amazing love and mercy of our Lord. Find out more about the other names of God, and the stories behind them – just contact joniandfriends.org/radio and ask for your free gift called “The Names of God.” And finally, can you wait until God provides? Oh yes you can, sure you can, for Philippians Chapter 4 says, “My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Friend, that’s a promise. God, Jehovah Jireh will meet all your needs. And, hey, if you need more inspiration you just have to go to my blog today at joniandfriends.org. Again, that’s my blog at joniandfriends.org.
© Joni and Friends
