The Lord Will Provide

Two weeks from today I'll be boarding a plane (several, in fact) en route to a country in the near east for a mission trip. Although I'm excited about going, I'm also a little apprehensive--not so much about the trip itself, but more about the time leading up to the trip. In addition to the amount of preparation for the trip, I'm also dealing with a great amount of work that needs to be done at the office before I leave. Over the next week alone we've got video shoots, a golf tournament, and a publication that has to be finished, proofed and sent to the printer, in addition to other ongoing projects. To say that I'm feeling overwhelmed is a bit of an understatement.

In the months leading up to this trip, I've come across many Bible verses that describe God's provision. One of my favorite passages is from Isaiah:

When the poor and needy search for water and there is none,
and their tongues are parched from thirst,
then I, the Lord, will answer them.
I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.
I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus.
I will give them fountains of water in the valleys.
I will fill the desert with pools of water.
Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.
I will plant trees in the barren desert—
cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine.
I am doing this so all who see this miracle
will understand what it means—
that it is the Lord who has done this,
the Holy One of Israel who created it. (Isaiah 41:17-20)

What I love about this passage is the fact that God is described as bringing something from nothing--rivers and fountains of water where there was desert, trees where there was barren land. In the time where refreshment is needed the most (and where it seems unlikely to happen), God comes through. I believe that He's still in the business of coming through in difficult circumstances and unexpected ways.

Throughout this entire time leading up to the trip, God has provided time and time again. I was concerned about raising enough money for the trip--God provided in some really crazy, really amazing ways. I was worried about traveling overseas for two weeks with a group of people I didn't know--God provided one of my very best friends as an unexpected addition to our team.

And now, as I am tempted repeatedly to worry and fret over how on earth I'm going to get everything done at work that needs to be done before I go, I'm once again reminded that God will likewise provide the time, energy and resources I'll need to finish my work. He's never let me down, and He won't this time either. He will provide. It may not be in the time I want or the manner I'm expected, but no doubt about it--the Lord will provide.