What is God's provision for you?

I’ve often heard testifiers at church meetings say something like, “I prayed for a new job. The perfect job appeared. I’m so grateful for God’s provision!”

As a general statement of truth, all good originates in God and comes from a spiritual source. But the above type of declaration has sometimes caused confusion for some people trying to understand how God meets human needs.

At surface appraisal, it appears to support the commonly held belief that material situations, things, and conditions are how God provides. After all, Jesus did heal sick bodies, strengthen weak limbs, and feed hungry mouths.

But Jesus also rebuked those who sought him for the fishes and the loaves—those who sought him for material indulgence.

He said, after trying to get away from a mob of people he had just fed,

“I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw [understood] the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you…”

I sense that Jesus did not want people seeking him for material gratification. He wanted them to understand the spiritual truth he was teaching. He knew that spiritual truth understood and practiced led the way to eternal life where matter was no longer a factor. It did not lead to increased consumption of food, things, or worldly position.

As I think about how God provides, I remember that God is Spirit. God is not matter. Spirit is going to provide in only the way Spirit can provide—spiritually. So it stands to reason that God meets human needs through spiritual ways and means, which, as it turns out in practical experience, translates into daily supplies.

Years ago, when my wife and I designed and built a home for our family, we worked for many months on the plans. We’d come up with a drawing we liked and proclaim, “This is the perfect house for us!” Days later, after more prayer and consideration, we’d come up with a better plan and declare, “This is the perfect house for us!” More time would pass, new ideas would surface, a new plan would be drawn, and then, again we’d affirm, “THIS is the perfect house!” Well, I imagine you get the picture by now, that there is no such thing as a perfect material house. As new inspiration dawns, human plans change. The only perfect house anyone will ever have is the home God has built for us in heaven, in Mind. Until then, we catch improved glimpses of what the “perfect home” is like, and improve our human plans accordingly.

A lesson I gain from the above is that until the final spiritual idea we’re striving to demonstrate is in clear vivid view, the human interpretation is going to constantly revise and change. We may interpret a new view of spiritual reality as the “perfect job,” or “the perfect home” or the “ideal setting” at any given point in time. But it’s only a glimpse. It looks perfect at the moment because that’s as far as our understanding has grown. But increase your spiritual understanding of God, and the original divine idea is going to getter clearer in thought. What appeared to be ideal in the past is no longer ideal. You see something better appearing.

This is helpful to understand when faced with loss.

People have often seen something good happen in their lives as evidence of God’s love at work—and rightfully so. But they make the mistake of believing the good is IN the material thing, position or setting they’ve acquired. So, if someday that thing is lost, they feel deprived, lacking, and maybe even punished. It’s not that God’s good has failed them. God’s good never fails. It’s because they thought their good was material rather than spiritual, and matter always fails eventually! That’s a given!!

A lesson here is, never put your trust in matter if you don’t want to be overwrought with a feeling of loss someday. All good is spiritual, coming from Spirit, and forever intact in Mind.

But aside from that, if something we identified as good is lost, it’s simply a demand to go up higher in understanding to the real substance of that good.

I’ve heard of businessmen who became very wealthy, lost everything in catastrophic economic conditions, and gained it all back. I believe this happens because they knew that their wealth was not in money. It was in the wisdom, understanding and intelligence they possessed, and, which I believe, comes from above.

God’s provision is spiritual. When material conditions change, spiritual truth never changes. Our source is always God, the all-knowing, all-providing Mind that is ever caring for its beloved creation.

You will not fear loss when you understand all supply to be spiritual. With an understanding of spiritual substance, we see that there is no loss in matter for there is no gain there to begin with. All is Spirit, and everything and anything worth having is spiritual.

God’s provision for us is always spiritual.

"The depth, breadth, height, might, majesty, and glory of infinite Love fill all space. That is enough!" Mary Baker Eddy

An answered prayer

The following is a story from a President Ballantyne who told of a special Christmas season from his boyhood days. Ballantyne grew up in Star Valley, Wyoming, which is harsh country. The summers are short and fleeting, while the winters linger and chill.

Father had a large family; and sometimes after we had our harvest, there was not much left after expenses were paid. So Father would have to go away and hire out to some of the big ranchers for maybe a dollar a day. He earned little more than enough to take care of himself, with very little to send home to Mother and the children. Things began to get pretty skimpy for us.

We had our family prayers around the table; and it was on one such night when Father was gone that we gathered and Mother poured out of a pitcher, into the glass of each one, milk divided among the children—but none for herself. And I, sensing that the milk in the pitcher was all that we had, pushed mine over to Mother and said, "Here, Mother. You drink mine."

“No, Mother is not hungry tonight.”

It worried me. We drank our milk and went to bed, but I could not sleep. I got up and tiptoed down the stairs, and there was Mother, in the middle of the floor, kneeling in prayer. She did not hear me as I came down in my bare feet, and I dropped to my knees and heard her say, “Heavenly Father, there is no food in our house. Please, Father, touch the heart of somebody so that my children will not be hungry in the morning.”

When she finished her prayer, she looked around and saw that I had heard; and she said to me, somewhat embarrassed, “Now, you run along, son. Everything will be all right.”

I went to bed, assured by Mother’s faith. The next morning, I was awakened by the sounds of pots and pans in the kitchen and the aroma of cooking food. I went down to the kitchen, and I said, “Mother, I thought you said there was no food.”

All she said to me was, “Well, my boy, didn’t you think the Lord would answer my prayer?” I received no further explanation than that.

Years passed, and I went away to college. I got married, and I returned to see the old folks. Bishop Gardner, now reaching up to a ripe age, said to me, “My son, let me tell you of a Christmas experience that I had with your family. I had finished my chores, and we had had supper. I was sitting by the fireplace reading the newspaper. Suddenly, I heard a voice that said, “Sister Ballantyne doesn’t have any food in her house.” I thought it was my wife speaking and said, “What did you say, Mother?” She came in wiping her hands on her apron and said, “Did you call me, Father?”

“No, I didn’t say anything to you, but I heard a voice which spoke to me.”

“What did it say?” she asked.

“It said that Sister Ballantyne didn’t have any food in her house.”

“Well, then,” said Mother, “you had better put on your shoes and your coat and take some food to Sister Ballantyne.”

In the dark of that winter’s night, I harnessed the team and placed in the wagon bed a sack of flour, a quarter section of beef, some bottled fruit, and loaves of newly baked bread. The weather was cold, but a warm glow filled my soul as your mother welcomed me and I presented her with the food. God had heard a mother’s prayer.

Who's your provider?

Quote of the day seen on a church sign board by a reader in S. CA:

God is always a wireless provider.

Cute!