Zoë Elmore
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
It was Friday afternoon and Tom arrived home early from work carrying a beautiful arrangement of cut flowers. I took the flowers from him, placed them on the counter then threw my arms around his neck squealing with delight and kissed his face.
Tom lowered my arms and he lowered his head as he began to tell me that his job had just been eliminated, and in a few short weeks, he would be unemployed. I couldn’t breathe or even speak.
We spent much of the night crying and discussing the details of what we would need to do while we waited for the Lord to open the next job opportunity. Over that next week I enjoyed carrying my beautiful flower arrangement from room to room not wanting to miss one moment of their beauty. Sadly, the blooms on my beautiful arrangement began to fade and I removed the wilted and brown flowers from their container and placed them in the garbage. I thought about holding on to a few of them as a memory of my husband’s tenderness toward me, but the Lord whispered, “Throw the blooms away but save the little blue container. I am going to fill it to overflowing.” Reluctantly I threw out the flowers, placed the little blue container in my kitchen and named it our “bucket of blessing”.
Throughout the long ten months of waiting for Tom to begin working again we received many cards, e-mails and phone calls encouraging us to persevere. Month after month we placed these encouragements in our bucket of blessing and before long it was filled to overflowing. It contained words of encouragement from friends and family, and stories of my husband’s integrity in his former job. Additionally, we placed in there reminders of kind gestures, unexpected gifts of kindness and nuggets of gold from God’s holy word. When either of us was tempted to feel discouraged we would remove one of those blessings from the bucket and read it. Each one was not only a reminder of God’s faithful provision to us but also God’s very presence with us.
Although Tom and I did not know what our future held, our confidence that God’s hand sustains and provides through times of uncertainty was greatly magnified. Although the flowers in that container were beautiful, their beauty only lasted a few days; however the blessings now held in our bucket will last a lifetime. Our circumstances may have changed, however God’s faithfulness does not ever change. The Bible is filled to overflowing with rich words of encouragement to trust the One who created us and who is faithful to sustain us.
Jehovah Jirah - He is faithful to provide!
Dear Lord, You are faithful beyond measure and I thank you for sustaining my family through difficult and trying times. Thank you for the Bible that reminds me of your faithfulness; and thank you for holding my future securely in your hand of provision. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do you know Him?
The Air I Breathe by Louie Giglio
Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey
Application Steps:
Create your own “bucket of blessing” and begin filling it with encouragement from God’s Holy word.
When you’re tired and discouraged, reach in the bucket, and pull out a blessing. Read it and know that the one who holds your future in his hands is with you and providing for you.
Reflections:
Have you drawn from the bucket of blessing today?
Are you relying on the beauty of the flowers to lead you through life today or are you relying on the One who created the flowers?
Power Verses:
Psalms 84:11, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
Deuteronomy 30:9, " Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers”
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
It was Friday afternoon and Tom arrived home early from work carrying a beautiful arrangement of cut flowers. I took the flowers from him, placed them on the counter then threw my arms around his neck squealing with delight and kissed his face.
Tom lowered my arms and he lowered his head as he began to tell me that his job had just been eliminated, and in a few short weeks, he would be unemployed. I couldn’t breathe or even speak.
We spent much of the night crying and discussing the details of what we would need to do while we waited for the Lord to open the next job opportunity. Over that next week I enjoyed carrying my beautiful flower arrangement from room to room not wanting to miss one moment of their beauty. Sadly, the blooms on my beautiful arrangement began to fade and I removed the wilted and brown flowers from their container and placed them in the garbage. I thought about holding on to a few of them as a memory of my husband’s tenderness toward me, but the Lord whispered, “Throw the blooms away but save the little blue container. I am going to fill it to overflowing.” Reluctantly I threw out the flowers, placed the little blue container in my kitchen and named it our “bucket of blessing”.
Throughout the long ten months of waiting for Tom to begin working again we received many cards, e-mails and phone calls encouraging us to persevere. Month after month we placed these encouragements in our bucket of blessing and before long it was filled to overflowing. It contained words of encouragement from friends and family, and stories of my husband’s integrity in his former job. Additionally, we placed in there reminders of kind gestures, unexpected gifts of kindness and nuggets of gold from God’s holy word. When either of us was tempted to feel discouraged we would remove one of those blessings from the bucket and read it. Each one was not only a reminder of God’s faithful provision to us but also God’s very presence with us.
Although Tom and I did not know what our future held, our confidence that God’s hand sustains and provides through times of uncertainty was greatly magnified. Although the flowers in that container were beautiful, their beauty only lasted a few days; however the blessings now held in our bucket will last a lifetime. Our circumstances may have changed, however God’s faithfulness does not ever change. The Bible is filled to overflowing with rich words of encouragement to trust the One who created us and who is faithful to sustain us.
Jehovah Jirah - He is faithful to provide!
Dear Lord, You are faithful beyond measure and I thank you for sustaining my family through difficult and trying times. Thank you for the Bible that reminds me of your faithfulness; and thank you for holding my future securely in your hand of provision. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do you know Him?
The Air I Breathe by Louie Giglio
Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey
Application Steps:
Create your own “bucket of blessing” and begin filling it with encouragement from God’s Holy word.
When you’re tired and discouraged, reach in the bucket, and pull out a blessing. Read it and know that the one who holds your future in his hands is with you and providing for you.
Reflections:
Have you drawn from the bucket of blessing today?
Are you relying on the beauty of the flowers to lead you through life today or are you relying on the One who created the flowers?
Power Verses:
Psalms 84:11, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
Deuteronomy 30:9, " Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers”
Labels: Finances, God's Perspective, Marriage, Trusting God, Walking in Faith
9 Comments:
Just to let you know that the Lord is using your daily devotions in an amazing way in my life.
It is a breath of fresh air daily at my work place where I always take time to read it in spite of my busy day.
God bless you as you are such a blessing to others...
Linda
I want to live in God's blessing and favor. We are currently in the process of stepping out on faith that God will provide clients for my husband so that he can be home more and cut back on all the hours that he is working and he can go back to school. it is har to rely on God's faithfulness in something so uncertain, but I know he is faithful and wants what is best for our family.
Dear God,
Help us to remain faithful in the knowing that you will provide. help us not to waver when the enemy wants to try and break us as we step out on faith. Help us choose each day to revel in your bucket of blessings and not in the short comings that we may feel. Bless our finances and increase our monies to pay the bills and debt. Help us to be wise with what you have given us.
Amen
God spoke to my heart this morning through this devotion. He is reminding me that through this tremendous transition my family is going through that He is faithful and He is in control. He reminded me to Trust Him. Although I don't understand, although it is painful, although I want to have a pity party, He is in control. And all I can do is rely on Him.
Thank you
Thankyou for this devotional. My
heart goes out to a couple that
are experiencing a 3 month leave of absence. I will be more faithful in prayer and look for
an encouragement card.
I want to share a brief testimony. Truly, the Lord God is our provider and He has plans for us.
I didn't have a job for several months. I would look at the job ads and I can't seem to fit any of the requirements. There were days I would get depressed but the Lord has been faithful to use those times as a way to increase my faith. God reminded me of the time that I was hired on the spot by a former employer. I started to count all the blessings that He has done in my life. I started reading the Bible more, praying more, praising more, to fast and to give tithes and offering to church.
I was recently scheduled for a job interview. I stepped out in faith and whispered to the Lord, "You are the great provider. Tomorrow, I will have a job." I went to the interview not even feeling nervous. By the time the interview ended, the interviewer said that there's a training session on Monday. Didn't I tell you of the time God reminded me of being hired on the spot. He did it again. I will start training in my new job this coming Monday.
Hang on to God's every word and His promises. Remember, blessed is the man who trusts in Him and He is Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord our Provider!
thank you for the "Bucket of Blessings" It's hard sometimes to not have pity party. It is a great encouragement to know and find the "Bucket of Blessings"
This is a great comfort since both my daughter's have just experienced their husband and bf losing their jobs recently. The husband of my daughter got a job the next day and a number of other calls of people who knew him and wanted him to work for them. My other daughter's bf is still looking.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Dear Father,
Thank you for helping me to remain faithful knowing that even when things may look dark to us you will always stay faithful to us in our times of need as long as we are a bleassing to others you will be a blessing to us. AMEN
thank you for posting this....it gaveme the re assurance that indeed God is in control and He is Jehovah Jireh
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