Joy Lynn*, Servant Partners staff in the Middle East reflects on the miraculous and wonderful provision of our God.
We just ended a festival where our streets run with blood, and everyone eats a lot of meat. Annually our neighbors try to scrape up enough money to buy a ram—or a piece of one—to slaughter in remembrance of Abraham being willing to sacrifice his son. My neighbors put great emphasis on the faith or religious response of Abraham, but as we read this story in Genesis 22, the emphasis seems to not be on Abraham and his religious act but more importantly on the God who provides, the God who forgives, the God who intervenes, the God who supplies the sacrificial lamb!
God is a God who provides! Here are some ways he is showing me and my neighbors just how faithful he is! Firstly, He provided a new apartment for me that has been a daily reminder that God is a God of abundant peace and my defender. It has room to host others, and I sense that he longs to use this space to bring God’s abundant rest, peace, healing, and freedom to both me and my neighbors.
Before I painted the walls a solid color, a few friends of mine and I prayed while drawing the promises of God all over the walls. It was really fun to color the walls, but the best part was that a friend named Joseph* came over to help me paint over the prayers. We had many deep conversations about what each picture prayer meant and about who God was.
We prayed that there would be enough new paint to cover the walls. I shared with him the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 and how I’ve seen God provide for me in real life. We had enough paint left over that I was able to give some paint to my tutor Sarah*, who had been praying that God would provide for her as she prepares her house for her mother’s visit. She had enough paint for her living room as well!
Later, I was praying with one of our short-term volunteers about a major concern Sarah had regarding her daughter. God spoke powerfully during that prayer time, and the next day God provided for Sarah’s daughter just as He had promised. Sarah and Daniel* are helping me with the translation for the art healing curriculum I am developing. They both have had some personal breakthroughs and have come to understand God’s character in new and deeper ways. God is providing for them as they are helping me translate the material. I can’t wait to see how God continues to provides through this curriculum.
Finally, praise God for the way he has provided for Moses*, who just celebrated his one-year anniversary of being in the family of God. He is still convinced that Jesus is worth it, and that God will provide for him. Please keep praying for Moses and his family.
Praise the Lord for His wonderful provision in the life and ministry of Joy, her team, and her neighbors. Pray that God would water the seeds of hope that have been planted in our neighbors like Joseph, Sarah, Daniel!
* Names have been changed for privacy and security purposes