Names of God - Part IV, Jehovah Jireh

JEHOVAH JIREH – The Lord Provides

Abraham called God his provider when God called him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. In Genesis 22:7-8, Isaac asks his father where the lamb was for the burnt offering. Can you imagine the sadness in Abraham’s voice when he responded?

Verse 8, “Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’”

Abraham trusted God so deeply that He did everything he was called to do. And when God stayed his hand, Abraham was grateful.

Verse 14, “So Abraham called that place ‘the Lord will provide.’ And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.’”

God is my provider. We say those words, but do we really believe them? Could we live our lives as if they were true?

There is no story that I’ve read that affected me like that of George Muller. He was born in 1805 in Prussia. He had nothing to do with Christianity until he was 20 years old. He had been a thief, a liar, a gambler and a drunkard. Even as his mother lay dying, he was known to be roaming the streets completely drunk.

In 1825, a friend invited him to a prayer meeting and he went. His life was profoundly changed. He was already in seminary, though only for the financial benefits. His father was paying his way, but incredibly enough, it was so that George would have a manse and his father would be able to live there.

After George became a Christian, he chose to go into missionary work. His father ceased paying his tuition and he became dependent on God alone. In 1829, he moved to England. He wanted to train as a missionary to the Jews. But, he met a man named Henry Craik, who began teaching him the scriptures and a way of life that George had never known.  He took a job as a pastor of a small church that would pay 50 pounds yearly.  He made a decision at that point to fully trust in God for every provision.

During his life time he received and gave away over 7.2 million dollars. (this was in the 1800s). He established 117 schools which educated more than 120,000 young people. He established orphanages and when he died in 1898, the church that he pastured had over 2000 members.

He believed that he was not to receive any fixed salary. God would provide all his needs. He believed that he was to never ask any human being for help, but to make his wants known to God. He took the command from Luke 12:33 literally, “Sell all that you have and give to the poor” And his final life belief was the literal interpretation of Romans 8:8 “Owe no man anything.”.

George Muller had an immense impact on England, but it was never a financial impact. He believed in God’s provision. He believed in Jehovah Jireh. And he changed the lives of thousands.