Perhaps you don’t wonder where breakfast will come from when you put the children to bed. There is food in your cupboard already. But it doesn’t say the Lord provides only food. He provides all our need, and we parents need the wisdom of Solomon every day.
Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. It was behind him, and he couldn’t have seen it without turning around, so the Lord must have pointed it out. He could never have caught a wild mountain sheep — impossible — but this one was already caught. It is an excellent type of our blessed Lord who suffered and died for us, without any planning or accomplishing at all on our part. By Abraham’s knife, that ram bled and died, but what shall we say for our Saviour? By the judgment of God He suffered, fully aware, and willingly died and bled for us. Yielding up His life was as much a miracle as His virgin birth.
Yes, the Lord will provide. First for salvation, and what a thrill it is when our little ones confess Christ for the first time! Satan knows that he has lost his prey, but that’s the beginning of other daily struggles. However, every minute of every day the Lord will provide. The power is there. If we parents fail, let’s be like the just man who “falleth seven times, and riseth up again” (Prov. 24:1616For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. (Proverbs 24:16))!
In Exodus 15 we read, “The Lord is my Banner.” We don’t carry the banner, but we follow it, like the camp of Judah when Israel moved to a new encampment in the wilderness. The children followed the banner because their parents did. Then they matured and followed it also. But I don’t think we can really enjoy following the banner unless we live in the good of Genesis 22. The Lord will provide. Fear is gone. “Follow thou Me” (John 21:2222Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. (John 21:22)).
Then we read about Gideon’s altar — Jehovah Shalom — The Lord send peace (Judg. 6:2424Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Judges 6:24)). That was not after his victorious battles, but before! The time would fail me to tell of Gideon. He was a mighty man of valor and his victories were wonderful, but this altar was before victory. Do you suppose this is a lesson for us mothers? Are our faces haggard or victorious? Oh, to trust Him more fully!
Then, in the end of Ezekiel, we get a sort of climax of joy. Jehovah Shammah — The Lord is there (Ezek. 48:3535It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there. (Ezekiel 48:35)). “What can full joy and blessing be but being where Thou art?” We don’t lose this when we die.
Can our little ones understand all this? “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes!” (Matt. 11:2525At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (Matthew 11:25)).
Maybe babes are less burdened with today’s complications than we are!