God is Always There Ahead of Us

God is there ahead of us.  How true!.  I remember the Easter Sunday morning when Rachel was only 5 or 6 months old.  I had gone to a sunrise service on the beach. 

I locked the driver's side door of my 1984 Toyota Kijang and put my keys in my purse. On the passenger side, I put my purse on the front seat so I could get Rachel out of her car seat in the back.  Once she was in my arms, I picked up her diaper bag, ready to join the service.

Back door locked.  SLAM!

Front door locked.  SLAM!

“Oh no, no, no, no, no!”  My purse...with keys in it...was still on the front seat.  How stupid!  Of all days and places to do this – Easter Sunday morning in a place that was a long walk to anything useful.  I was certain it would to take hours of effort in the hot tropical sun to find a locksmith. 

There was really nothing I could do just then, so I decided to go ahead and join those gathered on the beach, and deal with the problem later.

I shared my dilemma with a few people after the service.  After asking what model of car I drove, Alan and Meryl, a couple I had known for years offered to help. They gave Rachel and me a lift back to our car. 

That day, Alan drove a rather old red Kijang I had never seen him drive before.  He usually drove a much nicer vehicle.  I assumed the good car must be in the shop, and thought no more of it. 

He pulled up behind my Toyota and took his own key out of the ignition, turning off the engine.  I was surprised he didn’t get out his toolbox.  Instead, he went straight to my car door, put his key in the lock....AND THE DOOR OPENED!  Coincidence?  I think not. 

Only then did Alan and Meryl tell me that their good car was not in the shop. As Alan was getting ready that morning, he had sensed God prompting him to drive his old Kijang, his work car, to the sunrise service.  He had no idea why, but he obeyed the prompting, and was a huge blessing to Rachel and me. 

I drove away marveling that before I was even aware of the need, God had already provided the solution.  In fact, He had already made provision before the need even existed.  Situations like this prove to me over and over that whatever the situation, God really is always there ahead of us.

In Matthew 6:25-30, Jesus speaks of God’s provision for every need.

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? (NIV)

Jesus pointed to the birds flying through the air and the flowers growing in the field, noting that they don’t rush around frantically trying to meet their own needs, worrying that perhaps they can’t.  They simply do what God created them to do. Flowers put down roots deep into the soil because that is how they are made.  Birds are indeed busy finding the food they need for that day, because that is what they were created to do.  God provides what they need to live and grow.

Then Jesus points out to his listeners...and to us...that we are far more valuable than a bird or a blossom.  If our Heavenly Father provides those basic needs for them, we can be assured that He knows what we need as well.  It doesn’t matter whether the need is for food or clothes, a job or a friend, or...a man with the right key. 

When we feel anxiety raising its ugly head, let’s take a step back and remember that God knows what we need.  He is always there ahead of us, paving the way, ready to provide.  Focus on Him.  Submit our plans and desires to Him.  Do whatever He asks us to do as our part, and trust Him to provide.

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How have you seen God work in your life?  How has His provision come through just when you needed it most?  Click the word "Comment" below this post to share your story.  This could be a great encouragement to others.