JEHOVAH-JIREH

JEHOVAH-JIREH

The name, Jehovah-Jireh, is a covenant name ascribed to our God in The Holy Writ.  It simply means, “God, my provider.”  In this connection, I love a powerful testimony that my longtime friend, Pastor Carlton Crudup, shared with us.  While awaiting his turn in a grocery store cashier line, the woman just ahead attempted to pay for her groceries, but her card was declined.  She was holding a baby, and half of her grocery cart was loaded with baby food.  Pastor Crudup felt deeply compelled to pay for this stranger’s groceries (especially for the baby's sake), although he had already budgeted those funds to pay a major bill.

Several days later, he received two unexpected communications from different sources, notifying him of funds he would receive that were the equivalent to 2,000 percent of the amount he had paid for that unknown family’s groceries.  One of those blessing communiqués came via an email message that he read after a church service.  It had been transmitted during a sermon in which the preacher emphasized that God works behind the scenes to create your blessing…out of nothing.  Elder Crudup closed his testimony with this question: “Can you handle a 2000% increase, a way that God makes out of no way?”  I love it!

Since my friend has a Kingdom-servant's heart, his acts of obedience fostered fertile ground for seeds faithfully and sacrificially sown – and for future harvests. (II Corinthians 9:6) I love the fact that our God is a promise keeper.  Jehovah-Jireh always fulfills His covenant provisions, and believers walk in divine favor whenever and wherever we honor and obey His Word.   Jesus Christ summed it up like this: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.” (Luke 6:38)

Sometimes we do not receive the full provisions of the covenant because we place God in a box, thereby limiting His access to bestow divine favor upon our lives.  This rises from our tendency to prescribe specific and narrow methods that God can and will use to honor the covenant relationship.  It reminds me of a story I read years ago.

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college.  For many months, he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer showroom.  Knowing his wealthy father could well afford it, he told his dad that this sports car was all that he ever wanted.  As graduation day approached, the young man looked for signs that his father had purchased his dream gift.  On the day of his graduation, his father called him into his private study.  He told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and talked about how much he loved him.  Finally, he handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious but disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely leather-bound Bible on which his name was embossed in gold letters.  He grew angry, sprang from his seat and shouted at this father.  “With all the money you have, you chose to give me a BIBLE?”  The son stormed out of the office, vowing never to return home again.

Many years passed and, just like his father, the son became very successful in business.  He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family of his own.  But by then he realized that his father was growing old and thought to go home, for he had not seen his father since graduation day, many years before.  But before he could complete his travel arrangements, he received a telegram notifying him of his father’s death.  Despite the distance in their relationship, the father had lovingly willed all of his material wealth to the son he loved.  The only requirement was that he return home for the funeral and handle any necessary business matters.

When he arrived at his father’s mansion, overwhelming sadness and regret filled his heart.  Later on, as he searched through his father’s personal effects, the now middle-aged son discovered the Bible that his father had tried to give him years before.  It was still brand new, just as he had left it.  With tears in his eyes, he opened the Bible for the first time and began to slowly turn the pages.  His father had carefully underlined Matthew 7:11, which says “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

As the grieving son read and reread that poignant passage with tears flowing down his face, the Bible slipped out of his hands.  As it fell to the floor, a car key slipped from the back of the Bible.  It had a tag with the name of the dealer who still had in his possession the car that the son had so badly wanted.  On the tag, his father had inscribed this message: “From Dad with love…paid-in-full.”

How many times do we miss out on God’s intended blessings because they are not ‘packaged’ exactly as we had imagined or petitioned?  Let us resolve, therefore, to be open to whatever, wherever, whenever, or however God chooses to honor His Word.  “Any way You bless me, Lord, I’ll be satisfied!”

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!