February 25- Groceries on the Porch

There was a certain widow woman who struggled financially.  Getting down to her last meal, she opened her front door and began praying aloud for the Lord to bring her some groceries. Some of the neighborhood kids overheard her desperate prayer and thought to play a joke on her.  Within hours they had went to the grocery store and bought enough food for several meals.  Leaving the food upon her front porch they attached a letter to the groceries that read; “Here’s Your Food” signed “The Lord.”

After ringing the doorbell, they stood in the bushes waiting to hear her response.  The lady was aware of the childish schemes of the neighborhood children, and so opened the door and prayed once again, “Lord, thank you for this food that you have given, even if you used the devil to bring it.”

The Lord often provides in strange and peculiar ways- ways in which we could never dream.  In His infinite wisdom and grace, He always takes care of His people.  He is Jehovah-Jireh, our great and glorious Provider.  If he takes care of the sparrow He can certainly take care of you and me.  God knows your need before it arrives.  He is able to put groceries on the front porch- He may even use the devil as the delivery boy.

If God sends us on stony paths, He provides strong shoes” – Corrie Ten Boom

February 14- The Blessings of Being Barren

The word “barren” is not a very uplifting word. It represents infertility, lifelessness, and emptiness.  In Scripture whenever the word barren is used it always speaks of despair.  But have you ever considered that God uses empty things to bring about His goodness?

God used empty space to create everything- literally, out of nothing He made the universe.  God used two empty tablets in the hands of Moses to give us the Ten Commandments.  God used an empty barrel at the widow’s house to supply food for Elijah.  God used empty pitchers in the hand of Gideon to defeat the Midianites.  God used empty pots at the wedding of Cana of Galilee to turn water into wine.  God used the empty nets of Simon Peter to catch a great multitude of fish.  God used an empty tomb to bring hope and salvation to lost man.

God took the barren womb of Sarai and gave us Isaac.  God took the barren womb of Rebekah and gave us Esau and Jacob.  God took the barren womb of Rachel and gave us the twelve tribes of Israel.  God took the barren womb of Hannah and gave us Solomon, the great prophet and priest.  God took the barren womb of Elisabeth and gave the world John the Baptist.  God is in the business of taking empty lives and empty people and filling them with His power and glory.  God uses barrenness to bring blessings.  Sometimes God empties us just so He can fill us again!

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children” – Psalm 113:9