The Lord Who Sees Ahead

This past spring, I made a small sitting garden. It isn't large or fancy: a few beds, a fountain, a chair, and a table under a big tree. As it came together, I slipped outside each morning with my coffee, a devotional, and the book of Psalms.

Gardening runs in my family. My mother and my grandmother could make something beautiful out of whatever space they had, however small or simple. In May, my mother went home to be with the Lord. Her dragonflies, the ones she kept in her own garden in California, now rest among my plants. I see them every morning.

Looking back, I see something I couldn't see in the spring. Before I knew how much I would need a quiet place to sit with the Lord, He was already preparing one.

The Lord will provide

In Genesis 22, after God provided a ram in place of Isaac, Abraham gave the mountain a name: "The LORD Will Provide" (Genesis 22:14). In Hebrew, it is Jehovah Jireh.

The word translated "provide" comes from the Hebrew word that means to see. The Lord who provides is the Lord who sees. Even our English word reflects this. "Provide" comes from the Latin for "to see ahead."

God is never caught by surprise. He sees what is coming long before we do, and He goes ahead of us to make ready what we will need. For Abraham, it was a ram caught in a thicket. For me this year, it was a garden, quiet mornings, and the Psalms.

For you

Maybe you are in a season you didn't see coming. A loss, a diagnosis, a change you never asked for. Take heart. The Lord saw it before you did, and He has already been at work preparing what you need: His Word, His presence, and often a quiet place, or a friend, or a word in season.

A question to ponder

Looking back, where can you see that the Lord prepared something for you before you knew you would need it?

I'd love to hear your story in the comments or by email.

A prayer

Lord, You are Jehovah Jireh, the God who sees ahead and provides. Thank You for going before me into every season, even the ones I would never choose. Open my eyes to see what You have already prepared, and help me rest in Your care. In Jesus' name, amen.

Blessings, Nancy

If you'd like to spend your own quiet mornings in the Psalms, my Psalms Bible studies for women walk through every psalm, with journaling pages and teaching videos. You can find them here: The Psalms of the Bible.