God’s Provision

Throughout December, I talked with my two-year-old son about the Christmas story. We covered many topics related to the events surrounding the birth of Christ including God’s provision: Jesus needed a mommy and daddy on earth, so God gave Him Mary and Joseph. The Shepherds needed a Savior, so God sent angels to tell them that Jesus had been born and where to find Him. The Wise Men needed a King so God sent a star to show them the way to Jesus. Mary and Joseph needed a place for Jesus to be born and God gave them a barn. Did you catch that last part? Somehow it just doesn’t seem to fit with the rest. God certainly could have given them a palace or a mansion or at least their own humble home for the birth of Christ, but He didn’t. And yet the truth remains, that He did provide for them and the baby Jesus grew up healthy and whole despite the unsanitary conditions in which he was born.

What do we, as American Christians, expect when we ask God to provide for us. Are we asking for angels, a star, a barn, or something in between? Would we be satisfied with the barn? The American culture has many Biblical ideals we can be thankful for (freedom, generosity, the goal of equality for everyone, etc.), but there are of course many weaknesses as well. Over-indulgence, self-absorption, and greed are the relevant flaws for this particular discussion. Have we even considered breaking free from our culture as far as our standard of living goes? During the Christmas season, I heard so many people say things like, “Well, we probably spent too much, but…”; “Well, I splurged a little, but…”; “Well, I decided to buy something for myself after all that shopping…”; “I ate way too much, but it was just so good.” Our first thought when a problem arises is often, “What can I buy to fix this or make it easier?” How many times have we thought to ourselves, if it just had________, then I would feel good about ________.” (You fill in the blanks.) Why do we expect so much when most of the world has so little? How often do we just rest in the knowledge that God has provided for us richly and that He will always give us what we need?

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” Any of us who grew up in the midst of American culture have probably been conformed to it without even trying, but we can break free so that our attitudes and expectations, wants and desires become that which is God’s perfect will for us rather than simply a reflection of the world around us. Together let’s renew our minds through the study of God’s Word and change our ideals so that we can be more like our Savior and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.

-Jenny Greene