OUR GARDEN OF HOPE
“How could this happen?” Slumped on a bench, I buried my face in my hands. Our garden’s gurgling fountain and blossoming fruit trees sharply contrasted my gloom. The bank was foreclosing on our home, where we had lived for seventeen years. Our children grew up in this house. Sequestered in our garden, I cried out to God. A sense of failure enveloped me like a wool blanket, due to our poor investments. “Lord, forgive me. We’ve lost it all. What will we do now?”
Sitting there, God reminded me of His promises. I recalled Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” He brought Philippians 4:19 to mind. “God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Then it hit me. God didn’t need money or our house. He could provide for us in ways we had never imagined. If losing our home meant we needed to depend more on Him, then so be it. I paused, as a sensation of freedom touched my heart. My Father owns everything! I was trusting in material possessions, more than Jesus. In that moment, God released a profound peace over me, as I surrendered to His will.
From that point forward things were different, even though outward circumstances remained unchanged. The bank repossessed our home and we relocated. Yes, we experienced periods of deep sorrow. But looking back ten years, to that moment on my garden bench, I’m overwhelmed by God’s sovereign ways of provision, and the hidden blessings He birthed from this heartbreak.
He opened a door for us to buy a country home on two acres with our daughter’s family, significantly lowering our housing costs. Today, we experience the joy of living next door to our grandchildren. God gives us opportunities to minister to others who have lost their homes. None of this would have occurred had we remained in our dwelling. Ultimately, God provided for us far better than we ever imagined.
Jesus promises to meet our needs. Just as Israel constructed stone monuments to remember God’s great deeds (see Joshua 4:20), my garden experience serves as a spiritual marker, reminding me that God never fails us. No matter how external circumstances appear, He always comes through, transforming a garden of despair into a garden of hope.
Principle: God has unlimited resources and will provide for us in surprising ways.
Principle: God has unlimited resources and will provide for us in surprising ways.
Ponder:
When have I experienced God’s unexpected supernatural provision?
What situations do I need to surrender to God and trust Him to provide?
Promise: God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the promise to supply our needs. Strengthen me to trust you, even when I don’t see any possibilities.
Probe: For a deeper dive, study Philippians 4:10-20.
Perceptions: Record any ideas God puts on your heart from today's devotional.