PART 3 of 8
SEEKING GOD'S HANDS: God's Provision
Not long ago, I went to the beach for some much-needed R&R. I checked into The Proposal Rock Inn at Neskowin, Oregon, unpacked, and immediately headed for the wet hard sand.
I stood there in awe and overlooked the ocean as the tide slowly but surely encroached on the land, devouring it inch by inch only to recede leaving the shoreline looking as though there was never an invasion of water.
For centuries, the sea has drawn many men to her bosom, beckoning them to “Come...come to me.” How many dreamers have stood on her shores and asked, “What lies beyond the horizon?” Only the brave have dared to venture out leaving the comfort and safety of land behind to see what lay ahead and out of the grasp of civilization.
I had come here spiritually to rest. I wanted to be alone with God and write; no housework, no TV, no stereo, and no computer...just God.
I didn’t have a place at home in which I could write that was conducive to the creativity bottled up inside of me. The ocean provides that environment and atmosphere for me.
I’d never dedicated four days just to be with Him. I said, “Father, it’s just you and me for the next four days. I want my writing to make a difference, so I need the words to be from you Lord, whatever you have for me, I’ll receive.
Although the cool evening breeze continued to blow in from the ocean, I felt warmth in my Spirit. The Lord had just confirmed His presence. My sandals scooped up the sand with one-step and deposited it with the next as I walked and waited on the Lord to speak.
After about ten paces, I stopped and closed my eyes, trying to shut out every semblance of the world. I wanted to be totally alone with God. I must have stood there motionless and quiet for what seemed like twenty minutes--but was probably only a minute or so--waiting on a response from the Lord.
Then it hit me. Even though I’d made this trip to be with Him for fellowship, the first thing I did was to seek His provision. Was my trip a pretense? I didn’t think so because my trip had a two-fold agenda. Is this why God wasn't answering me right away? Did He want me to figure that out by myself. Or was it even a problem.
I said, “I’m sorry Father. I’ve come to fellowship with you and get closer and the first thing I do is ask you for something. Please forgive me. I love you Father but I want to do right by you with the mandate that you have given me.” What I had just said sounded like an excuse, but without thinking, I spoke it from my heart and mind.
Deep from within my spirit I heard, “I know you love Me son for I look on the heart. It's okay to ask Me for things, for it is My good pleasure to give you the desires of your heart.”
I slowly opened my eyes and looked out over the water. I couldn’t help but thinking how the ocean was a perfect representation of God: the vastness, the greatness, the power, the deepness--all perfect examples of the awesomeness of God--and He’d just called me son!
Like the wayfarer answers the call of the sea and sets sail toward the horizon, so do we answer the call of the Spirit and set sail on the boat of faith to begin and develop a relationship with God.
As we embark on that relationship, we learn that He is no respecter of persons. What He does for one person, He’ll do for someone else. If we have the faith to believe that, we will please Him, for it is impossible to please God without faith.
In the early stages of developing a relationship with God, probably ninety percent of our prayers involve soliciting His provision for our lives or to put it more direct, we need something from Him. However, like the Father personally told me earlier, “...It’s okay to ask Me for things...” His Word says, “...ye have not, because ye ask not (James 4:2),” and to Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
When I first asked Christ into my heart, I knew that I needed a savior. As a new believer and coming from a messed up past, I was a needy person with a new found caretaker for my life, and I quickly learned that He loved me. In fact, He died for me, and nothing is impossible with Him.
Mark 11:24 declares, “. . .what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” So as I grew, I prayed for guidance, protection, deliverance, healing, financial matters, and a host of other needs. Here I was, treating God like my own personal butler instead of treating Him like my personal Savior. I sounded like an opera star warming up: mememememe.
When we seek God’s hands, we are at an ‘I need’ level of relationship. When we pray for His provision, we are praying for what He and His hands can do for us. What we need is to become like a little child and wean ourselves from milk to meat.
I came to the realization that all I was doing was just ‘taking’ of His provision. God gave me the desires of my heart but I was not giving Him the desires of His heart. Although I tried doing things for Him through the church and for people, I was like Martha with her many works. I did not seek the good part. There is a give and take in any relationship or marriage, without which, it cannot last long. God understands this but He does expect us to grow. Relationship is a process.
Is God’s provision all that there is in a relationship with God? To have a relationship with another person, in the natural, it is prudent to find out who that person is and who they are representing themselves to be. Seeking a relationship with God is no different because natural relationships release insights into our spiritual relationship with Christ. It goes full circle because Christ is the one who teaches us how to have a relationship with others in the first place.
Seeking God’s hands can be a one-sided relationship if that is all we seek of Him. However, by seeking God’s hands, we learn that what He wants to do for us is much of who He is. It pleases God when we ask for His provision instead of seeking the world's provision for our lives. . .but the goal here is to go deeper.
Let's go to a deeper level of relationship and find out who God is by Seeking God's Face.
