With this new year of blessings to behold, I am asking God to speak to me each week about what he wants me to learn from Him.

 In 2009, God is speaking to me, in His strength and in my weakness, of His provisions for my life.

Provision. Provision. This word hits me over and over this week, in prayer and in my study. What does provision really mean? Investigation time. I am on it. 

The word provision derives its meaning from the Latin word for “foresight” or “seeing ahead.” How amazing our God always has His best interests in mind when He sees ahead and provides exactly what we need, when we need it.

Merriam Webster’s Dictionary states a few different definitions for provision. It can be the act or process of providing , the state of being prepared beforehand, or a measure taken beforehand to deal with a need or contingency. Provision can also mean a stock of needed materials or supplies. As a verb, provision means to supply a need, as God supplies all our needs.

Taking a look one of my favorites, Eugene Peterson’s THE MESSAGE, Matthew 6 reads:

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”