Romans 5:6-8
Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In his autobiography, Gypsy Smith: His Life, His Work, evangelist Rodney “Gypsy” Smith writes about how his father, Cornelius, played his fiddle in taverns throughout England. Cornelius always got drunk when he performed in these taverns. All of this changed on the day he found Jesus and was converted. When Cornelius Smith found Jesus, he vowed to never again play in a tavern. One Christmas, the family was hungry and without food. Cornelius knew that he could earn money for his family by taking his fiddle and going to a tavern to perform. But he refused to betray the commitment he had made to Jesus Christ…who died on the cross for sinners like him.
Gathering his family together, Cornelius Smith suggested that they sing a hymn… “The Lord Will Provide.” Here are the words of this hymn, written in 1894 by Mrs. A. W. Cook…
In some way or other the Lord will provide;
It may not be my way, It may not be thy way;
And yet, in His own way, “The Lord will provide.”
At some time or other the Lord will provide;
It may not be my time; It may not be thy time;
And yet, in His own time, “The Lord will provide.”
Despond then no longer; the Lord will provide;
And this be the token, No word He hath spoken
Was ever yet broken: “The Lord will provide.”
March on then right boldly; the sea shall divide,
The path-way made glorious, With shoutings victorious
We’ll join in the chorus: “The Lord will provide.”
Then, we’ll trust in the Lord,
And He will provide; Yes, we’ll trust in the Lord,
And He will provide.
Soon after singing this hymn, a local missionary knocked on the Smith’s door and told Cornelius that a shop in town was holding three legs of mutton and some other groceries for the family. All they had to do was go and collect the food. The Lord had provided.
Long before Cornelius Smith turned his life around, Jesus was providing for him. Jesus knew exactly what would happen… how this man would spend much of his young life drunk or passed out in taverns, and still He felt Cornelius was worth the sacrifice of His very life. He knows you… and me… our families and friends… the homeless guy we pretend is not there… the drunk who can’t seem to stay out of bars or away from the bottle… and the coed in your dorm who seems headed for disaster.
Jesus knows each of us better than we will ever know ourselves. He knew us before the Roman soldiers arrested Him… long before He was beaten and nailed to a cross. And still, He thought we were worth the sacrifice. Jesus knew that we needed Him to provide for us… and provide He did. Now that we have made a commitment to follow Him, Jesus continues to provide and sacrifice on our behalf. See, Jesus knows that even His disciples will have days/weeks/months where things don’t go so well… where the “cupboards are bare,” so to speak. He knows we will have challenges, setbacks, and pitfalls… and still He provides.
It may look pretty bleak in your corner of the world today. You may have taken a step or more backward… you may feel that you have fallen away from God and don’t deserve the sacrifices of Jesus – or His forgiveness. You may be ready to “pick up your fiddle and go back to the tavern.” I’m here to tell you that Jesus will ALWAYS provide… if only we will trust Him to do so.
Read the words of this beautiful hymn again… “Despond then no longer; the Lord will provide.” Humble yourself before God and thank Him for the sacrifices of Jesus Christ. Ask God to forgive you yet again for whatever you may have done that separated you from your connection with Jesus. Remember that Jesus isn’t the one who walked away. But if you will take steps to come back to Him, He will welcome you with open arms. And yes, He will provide.
Once we have recognized Jesus’ sacrifices and claimed them, we must trust Him to fulfill His promises… to provide for us according to His will…to love us even though we will never deserve this gift. I don’t know about you, but it boggles my mind to think that Jesus could love me… could give his life for mine… that He could truly care about my needs and want to meet every single one of them. But this is the truth! So I will “march on right boldly… join in the chorus, with shoutings victorious… and trust in the LORD”… that He will provide. Will you add your voice to the choir?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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