Years ago Andrew and I did a Sunday school class on the names of God. It really is something everyone should study and it’s so revealing about who our God truly is. He has so many facets we can never stop learning about Him, but knowing the names of God does really help!

One name in particular that stuck out to me then, and has stayed with me is Jehovah-Jireh. It means ‘the Lord will provide’. So many times in our lives, Andrew and I have seen Him provide in a way only he can. I remember one time we were going to be $800 short for our next mortgage payment so we started praying. We had about a month before it was due and it was stressful. I can’t tell you we were at peace and fully trusting the Lord because we weren’t. We were worried, but we still lifted it up to the Lord. Over that month random money came in, gifts from people, mostly anonymously, and it equaled the exact $800 we needed.

You’d think we’d learn from that, but like the Israelites in the desert, time and time again we have doubted and forgotten what the Lord can and will do.

In the last month, we have been having this awful smell in our hot water. Like rotten eggs. Prayerfully you haven’t smelled it on us! Andrew, being the researcher and do-it-yourselfer he is, started looking into why it smelled. We’ve always had beautifully, fresh, clean well water out here so this was out of the ordinary. Turned out the water heater was going out. Great…

It’s one of those things you know is going to happen eventually. It was old, we knew it couldn’t last forever, yet while it was running we didn’t think about it. It was also electric, which is very inefficient and expensive so we always wanted to turn it over to propane. Just. not. right. now.

But these things don’t wait until you have money in the bank. The water heater doesn’t care that we have nothing with which to replace it. It’s just done. Andrew tried everything he could to fix it. The parts needing replacing wouldn’t budge, of course, so we couldn’t replace them. We found if you flush it with bleach it takes care of the smell for a little while, but it’s a bit like a band-aid for a broken leg. Not going to do much in the long run. We were hoping to nurse it by until tax return season, just a mere 8 months away.

Then I decided, I’m going to trust God with this. It’s not too big for Him. He can provide. So, I started praying. I prayed all weekend for $1500 because that’s what we needed to reroute propane piping, buy a water heater, and hire a plumber to help. I kept telling God, “I trust you. This seems too big for me, and I have a tendency to doubt, but I’m going to trust you with this. Remove my doubt. Provide $1500.”

As we were driving to church on Sunday morning, Andrew and I were talking and I mentioned what I was praying for. He said, “ME TOO!” Here we were, praying for the exact same thing without knowing the other was doing it!

At church we sang this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKw6uqtGFfo.

I was reminded to the depths of my soul that I am a child of God and He loves me more than anything else. I just sobbed in church as the Holy Spirit washed this truth over me. If I’m His child of course He’ll take care of me. Of course He knows my needs even before I speak them. Of course I can trust Him.

I left church feeling loved, protected, and at peace. I kept praying, knowing that God heard me and would provide.

Monday morning started like any other day. I was playing a game with our four year old, smiling at his antics, and just enjoying a beautiful summer day. The phone rang and my wonderful friend said, “I couldn’t wait. I just had to call you! I have to tell you what just happened. I just got a check at the church for your family. Someone wants you to have $1500!”

I literally couldn’t speak. I just sat on the floor with tears in my eyes, completely silent. She probably thought I’d hung up! All I could say was, “I’m speechless, I can’t believe it!”

When I called Andrew to tell him, he was equally stunned. I could hear the tears in his voice as he said over and over, “You’re kidding, right??”

Isn’t it funny how we can tell God we believe and we trust and we know He’ll provide but then when He does we are so blown away we can’t even comprehend it?

Shows how much I was actually trusting, huh?!

How perfect and amazing is our God! He knows exactly what we need and not only can He provide but He’s willing to. Think about that…

He is willing to provide. He wants us to trust Him and He desires to meet our needs. That’s how much He loves us. He loves us so much He wants to give the exact amount we need for a water heater. In all of the world’s problems, in all the troubles people can face, He cares about my little problem. He cares so much He knows all the details.

I’m so far from perfect on trusting Him, but I’m learning. I’m learning I can truly trust Him in everything. Everything! Do you really trust Him? Do you believe He cares about you and every detail of your life? Do you believe He can and will provide and takes joy in doing so? I hope I’m getting there. I have been in a state of thankfulness all week and I don’t want to forget what he’s done for us!

Jehovah-Jireh. The Lord will provide.