A Magnolia's Heart Beats

Thankful Thursday - Provision

Laurie, from Women Taking a Stand, is hosting this week. She has chosen a great theme for Thankful Thursday. Provision.

Provision of Grace

I am so thankful for God's provision of grace through Jesus, His Son.

"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." ~ Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)

His provision was purity for our sins. Purity so that we could dare come before God when we leave this body and begin our lives in Heaven. How sweet He was to purge Himself of sins He did not commit, sins we placed upon Him, to provide for us eternal life with Him. Thank you, Jesus!

Provision Here on Earth

God is still providing while we are here on the other side of Heaven. There are times when we have certain needs to be met. I have learned that the Lord will not leave us forsaken of anything outside His will for us.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

Personal Provision

I experienced some personal provision yesterday. Daddy had an accident yesterday while working in his shop at home. He was nailing shelves and pierced his arm with a nail. The nail actually went all the way in, up to the head. He had to remove his arm from it because the 2x4 he was nailing nails in for shelves was nailed to the wall. He's a retired fireman so he knows about first aid. He applied pressure, calmly walked up to the house, doused it with peroxide and wrapped it. Then he called me. I told him I would meet him at the ER and a friend from work took me. I'd love to say I was calm but I wasn't. Daddy is 75 years old and on blood thinner. I had no idea what we'd be facing. I texted friends to pray and pray they did. Oh, the wound looked awful and immediately started swelling because of the trauma to the muscle. Daddy never winced when they gave him a tetnus shot or when they numbed his wound for stitching. 6 stitches. That's when it hit me. I love my Daddy.

God provided abundant love that persevered over all the baggage and memories of life growing up.

He was a trooper. He had us in stitches! He never complained, apologized for making me leave work (he didn't make me, I chose to), and just made light of the whole situation.

God provided for Daddy yesterday. No artery was hit, no main vessel was hit, no blood had to be given, and it didn't hit the bone. 6 stitches, 3 x-rays, one tetnus shot, and one antibiotic prescription later, we were out of there! 2 hours. Almost unheard of in an ER.

God provided for me, too. He gave me my first day of flare-up of 2 illnesses I have Tuesday rather than Wednesday. Day one is always the hardest for me. He provided me with a job that I could just run around the corner and say, "Gotta meet Daddy at the ER, I'll call you later, Pam, I need a ride please." He provided me with friends who prayed for him. He provided me with a good visit with Daddy, despite it being in an ER.

Provision to Lay Down Baggage

The Lord provided me with what I call a love burst for Daddy. Sometimes my heart just gets so full of love that it feels like I'm experiencing David's words in Psalm 23.

"...my cup overflows." ~ Psalm 23:5 (NIV)

When I got back and read some Word-Filled Wednesday posts, I read one about love always persevering.

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." ~ 1 Corinthians 13:6-8 (NIV)

I thought of how love persevered and when I walked out of the hospital with Daddy, I left my emotional baggage in the ER. I left the emotional and verbal abuse, the anger of his former alcoholism, the hurt of how he treated Mother in Room 12.

God provided for me in a BIG way yesterday. Several times. I'm so thankful for His provision.

Wrap Up

Questions for Reflection: How has God provided for you lately? Have you stopped to thank Him and lay down hurts to pick up healing?

Verse of the Day: "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." ~ 1 Peter 4:11 (NIV)

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for providing us with the gift of grace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Your mercy is what's leading us home to Heaven and eternity with You and I praise You for it. Thank You for the ways You provide for us here on earth, too. You provided so much more for me than I could ever explain, and just when I think You've done enough or that I have gotten my quota Your abundance pours forth. Thank You for making me feel like a woman of worth in Your eyes. I know that it is only through Christ that I deserve the things I get, for without Him I would receive the unimaginable. Thank You for exceedingly and abundantly providing for me more than I even know I need at the time. Let us rely on You for your provisions in our time of need, and let us never hesitate to ask, for You make our cups overflow. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

P - Prepare your hearts to receive God's provision. "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." ~ Colossians 3:1 (NIV)

R - Respond with an attitude of thanksgiving and praise. "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done." ~ 1 Chronicles 16:8 (NIV)

O - Openly share His provision with others. "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." ~ Hebrews 13:16 (NIV)

V - Value the provisions God's gives you. "Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." ~ John 4:13-14 (NIV)

I - Incorporate time in your life for provision of the Word of God. "I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word." ~ Psalm 119:15-16 (NIV)

S - Seek time to pray about the provisions you need. "For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." ~ Matthew 7:8 (NIV)

I - Intrust that God's provisions will come. "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. " ~ Psalm 84:11 (NIV)

O - Object to things that are not provisions of the Lord. "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." ~ Romans 12:2 (NIV)

N - Nuture your branch to bear fruits of provision. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing....This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." ~ John 15:5, 8 (NIV)

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