This hymn has rolled around in my spirit a lot during this year. As 2014 comes to a close, I can look back and honestly tell you that God is faithful. He keeps His Word. He doesn't betray us, He doesn't leave us, and He doesn't let our needs go unmet.
I have looked back at the bills that have been paid--every single one has been paid on time. Every one! We have not lacked food to eat, clothes to wear, or a home to keep us warm and out of the elements. God has provided for our every need!
As we headed into the Christmas season, like many of you, I began to feel stressed. I knew what was in my checking account. I knew there wasn't a lot of extra to be able to buy gifts for my kids. But I went to the Lord, and only the Lord, about it. I didn't tell Him that I needed a certain amount of money in order to buy gifts; I just asked Him to provide so that they could have a few things under the tree. You see, prior to this, I accepted a job and had to quit the job two weeks later. It wasn't the right fit for our family. On a Wednesday night, as we were headed to church, I had gotten on to my oldest child and told her to stop trying to do my job. She truly wants to help, and she has a big heart... sometimes, her "helping" doesn't come across that way and stirs stuff up between the kids because she is overstepping her boundaries and crossing into my territory, attempting to boss the other kids around. Well, when we got to church that night and the kids were in their classes, I went into the sanctuary for the last little bit of praise and worship. As I lifted my hands in surrender to the Lord and began laying things at His feet, He told me in a very familiar tone, "Would you stop trying to do my job?" Ouch! Message received!
It was after this that I went to the Lord with what was on my heart for the coming Christmas season. He said that He would provide and to just trust Him. So I did.
Then I received a phone call from someone asking if it would be okay to help with the kids' gifts this year; the call so took me by surprise that I was struck speechless and the person on the other end thought that the connection had been lost! I stepped outside on that cold afternoon and shared with the person the kids' clothing sizes, what they needed, and a couple of things from their wish lists. After that, another person approached me and said that a certain group also wanted to help with the kids' Christmas gifts. I was given some money to be able to buy them a few gifts, just in time for the Black Friday sales.
This is just a taste of what God has done for us this year. As I said, we have not lacked for anything that we have truly needed. He has provided. God is faithful, and He has shown His faithfulness over and over again!
As this year comes to a close, I want to encourage you to look back and see where He has proven Himself faithful in your life this year, and trust Him to continue to provide for your every need in 2015. Friend, God is faithful, and remember this verse from Matthew 6:
"Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?"
God loves you, friend; and as my pastor often says, He even likes you!
He is faithful!
