A more common sort of provision

Sometimes, I read the bible and think, "Where are all the miracles today?" Now, I know, there are miracles every day, some are the big obvious kind we read about in the four gospels. I think that most of God's provision isn't through miracles. I think that mostly it's through a quieter sort of intervention. God exercises a quality which is lauded in the book of Proverbs. Planning.

In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

God sometime provides though big miracles, but God regularly provides through good planning. Take for instance the story of Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, but God had a better plan. God planned to put Joseph into the second highest position in Egypt, and through him, preserve the nation of Israel during a 7 year famine. Here, we see Joseph talking telling his brothers what has happened to him.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you... God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Genesis 45:4-5, 7

My two favorite books in the Bible are Ezra and Nehemiah. I like them because I can identify with the main characters. Ezra and Nehemiah are both young men, who are good at management and administration. I am a young man who is good at management and administration. I also like them, because though God's hand is clearly at work in both stories, there aren't any obvious miracles. Instead, God planned to put each of them into the right place, at the right time. He also gave them the talents they would need to succeed.

In Ezra's case, his mission was to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The temple had been destroyed when the Chaldeans invaded. This was a common practice. There were two benefits to destroying a temple. First, temples, including God's temple in Jerusalem, were constructed using valuable materials. The temple had gold inlaid between the stones, as well as man gold articles within. There was also a psychological component. The invading army was saying that they not only conquered a nation's military, they also conquered a nation's gods. This demoralized the local people, and tended to decrease the chances of a revolt.

A few years after Ezra began work on the temple, some men came to Nehemiah, and told him that the wall around Jerusalem was badly broken, and that as a result, the people of the city lived in constant fear. At the time, a city's best defense against attack was a good strong wall. The wall would have gates, where commerce could be conducted, but at night, the gates would be closed. The wall protected the city from invading armies, and from bands of robbers who might want to come in at night and do harm. Without a wall, there was nowhere safe in the city, though the outlying houses were more vulnerable at night. There was also a psychological component here, the city could look at the wall, and think, "We have a good wall, and so we'll be safe." Without a good wall, the city would be a laughingstock to its neighbors, an object of ridicule, unable to defend itself. Hearing that the city wall is in ruins, Nehemiah prepares to go to the king, and ask leave to go fix it. He prays to God, calling on the promises God has made, that if His people will turn from their wickedness, that God will restore their homeland. Nehemiah ends his prayer this way.

'O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayers of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.' I was cupbearer to the king. Nehemiah 1:11

Note that last line. Nehemiah notes, after his prayer, that he was cupbearer to the king. A cupbearer wasn't just someone who carried about the king's cup. It was a deeply trusted position. The cupbearer was in charge of what the king drank. He was tasked with ensuring that no one poisoned the king by slipping something into his drink. The cupbearer literally held the king's life in his hands, and as such, was a very close official. The cupbearer, because of how often he was called upon, was always near the king, and was privy to all sorts of secret information. God had put Nehemiah into a lofty and trusted position, and Nehemiah intended to use that position to further God's kingdom.

Nehemiah is successful before the king, and obtains not only permission to go to Jerusalem, but also the king agrees to supply the raw materials for the wall. Nehemiah encounters other difficulties throughout the wall rebuilding process, and I encourage you to read all about them. The point here though, is that God's provision came not in the form of a big miracle, but instead through placing the right person in the right position. In our lives, God's provision also takes this form. That's not to say that God doesn't perform miracles for us, but it is to say that if you're looking for a miracle, and don't find one, that's no reason to think that God isn't working. At the same time, this begs a question, understanding that God has gone through the trouble of planning to put you into your position, be that executive, doctor, social worker, or janitor. What does God intend you to do while you're there?

[Image Credit: Meknes, Morocco City Gate]