YHVH; a God of Compassion and Provision

Psalm 27:12-14
12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.

Wow! Does King David nail it or what? This Psalm of his speaks to our experience this week and God's gracious provision in the lives of the Brown Family. We moved here in faith and that belief in God's provision has not wavered...until yesterday as i registered for Seminary classes. One by one came the questions: Do i sign up for full time or just the amount i need to keep our apartment, six hours? i need full time to be a Chaplain candidate, but how am i going to pay for it? When are they going to call me so that i can start my job and get some income coming in? Have i made a mistake and not been a good steward and if so how am i going to clean up what i have done? Will we end up on the streets? What else can i do, second job, student loan, giving plasma, etc? Why am i sounding so afraid in my thoughts?

i apologize for taking you all on a journey through my though process, but it is necessary to see that we all get scared even when we are sure of God's call. i am but a man and i get afraid and any man who chooses to follow God that says he does not is a liar. Okay, so sorry for the rambling, bu not sorry for the transparency; i pray it encourages someone.

So i get my bill for my classes and it is $1942.00 + cost of books. i sign up for the FACTS program which allows me to pay for it in increments. So first monies that will be due is a payment of $485 on February 5th. No problem, i start my job soon and income will be flowing. Never mind that we have only enough money in the bank for rent and some groceries. i am registering in faith or folly depending on how you look at it. i wait and no call from Office Depot on Friday last week, no call Monday, and so i call yesterday. Turns out my background check is taking longer than usual. Think the enemy is not working?

He wants to destroy my faith that God will equip the called. he was doing a heck of job yesterday, but God, always faithful God answered him with a "not this time sucker!" i spent the afternoon exhausting myself online looking for ways to pay for the just the first payment coming up. i guess i felt like that is what a good steward does; do all he can and trust God to make it happen. i was awaiting a call from Matt Carter at the Austin Stone as i had contacted him about supporting me while i was in Seminary. He had not said whether they we going to or not and yesterday was the day to find out.

Long story short, The Stone felt lead to pay for my first semester and all the books i would need for that semester. As i looked for Scripture that spoke of waiting on the LORD, i found this passage in Isaiah. i think it is fitting.

Isaiah 30:18-19
18 Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you
For the LORD is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him.
19 O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.

Oh how our God longs to be gracious to His children. How our Father longs to answer us as i long to answer the cry of my children. It says that He waits on high to have compassion on us. HE WAITS ON HIGH TO HAVE COMPASSION ON US!!! Amazing! Last time i checked, we all could use compassion.

1 Chronicles 16:25
25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
He also is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 48:1
1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,
In the city of our God, His holy mountain.

We praise you Adonai LORD God Almighty! We cry Abba Father and we hymn the Father, Son, and Spirit. You are a great God and worthy to be praised above all else. we lay our lives down for your purpose and pleasure.

Amen and Amen!!!