Journey Day 287

I am Israel. God continues to provide for me every single day, and yet I continue to question his goodness. So thus I am Israel. Over and over again throughout the old testament God saves the Israelites. He gives them food, defeats their enemies and blesses their lives and yet every time the going gets tough the Israelites get going to worshipping some other god, or they question God's sovereignty in their lives. Just read Jeremiah, Isaiah, Lamentations, and those are just to name a few! There seems to be a formula... Israelites are in a jam then God saves them, then they forget about God's goodness and power and turn to idols to fill the holes in their hearts, and then God has to punish them. Luckily the formula doesn't end there. After God punishes the Israelites for their disobedience He redeems them and brings them back to Him. God never stops saving them and loving them. So thus I am Israel... I get in jams and God saves me. I forget His strength and power and then question Him and allow the idol of fear to take over in my life. Then God gently disciplines me (at times not so gently), and brings me back into His arms. Sadly this cycle seems to repeat itself. I was sitting in church today, and Pastor Paul said something about Israel and in my mind I started to judge them.... silly Israel, God always provides, when are they going to get that. And in the very next moment it dawned on me... I... am... Israel. God never ceases to love me, and provide for me and yet I still continue to worry, I still allow myself to get caught up in the chains of guilt and depression. God provides my needs exactly when I need them, and not one moment before. I need to trust God and have faith that He will never leave me nor forsake me. That He has plans for a future and a hope. I need to rest in the fact that everyday He will provide for each of my needs and I don't have to worry, wonder or doubt.

"'For I know the plans I have for,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord."
-Jeremiah 29:11-14