THE PROVIDER

I sat respectfuly in the congregation and listened as the senior pastor told a story from his early days in the ministry.

It seems that he had accepted a s mall church and was struggling to make ends meet.  To make up for the small salary he was being paid, he had taken on two other part time jobs.  The hours were grueling.  The pay was awful.  The strain on his wife, now eight months pregnant and himself was becoming quite evident.

On this particular day as he arrived home from a long days work he was met at the door by his three year old daughter.  She hugged him and told him she loved him and missed him.  Then she said something that shook him to the bone.  She said "Daddy I hungry". 

His wife was on complete rest until the new baby was born so he walked to the kitchen and opened the cabnets to find some food he could make for his little girl.  Each cabnet he opened reveiled the same picture.  There was no food in the house. 

The young pastor felt awful.  He was a failure to his family.  Surely by working three jobs he should be able to provide for his wife and child.  He took his little girl and drove a short distance to the church.  As the little girl crawled under the pews and played in the sanctuary, the young pastor poured his heart out to God at the altar.  He asked for help and strength and knowledge to be able to make things happen. 

The more I listened to the story, the more angry I became at God.

 "How can you allow a young man who has dedicated his life to serving you become so bogged down with financial problems that he can't feed his baby daughter?  Of all people, those who are devoted to serving you should be the one's you care the most about.  It is just not fair"

The story continued.  As he arrived home he walked into the kitchen and found mounds of food placed there by "someone".  His wife hadn't heard anyone enter the house.  There was no note.  Nothing left to identify the giver.  But the food left there in the kitchen was more than enough to keep this little family going for many months. 

"Forgive me God", I said.  "You were providing for him all the time.  You blessed him more by providing for him than if you had allowed him to make the money and pay for the food himself." 

This is not a random story.  I could share many more with you how that God's children seem to be beat down, run over, and forgotten.  But in the end, their needs are met by a loving and caring God. 

It's all going to be good in the end and if it's not good, it's not the end.