The God Who Sees To It

"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.” Genesis 22:14

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God has many attributes , and one way to understand the character of God and fully know about Him, is to know the many names of God. One of the names of God is Yahweh-Jireh, or Jehovah-Jireh as some have learned it. We know that this name given to God means "The LORD Who provides", but as I was studying the original Hebrew meaning, a more literal translation was brought to my attention: "The LORD Who will see to it".

Jehovah- Jireh is only mentioned once in scripture, in Genesis 22:14. The Bible tells us that God was testing Abraham's devotion, and told him to go to Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son Isaac. Just as Abraham was about to kill his son in obedience to God, an Angel of The LORD spoke and told Abraham not to harm his son, and it was then that Abraham saw a ram tangled in a bush, and was able to offer the ram as a burnt offering to God, instead of his son. It was here that Abraham gave God the name Yahweh-Jireh, because God had provided the ram. 

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Though this Name of God is only shown once, it's such an important name!  And personally, for me, the translation of "The LORD Who sees to it" struck a real cord in my heart. I grew up singing "Jehovah-Jireh" a song about God's provision, and I grew up knowing that my God was One who would always provide for my needs. But somehow the translation of "seeing to it" is so much more urgent and concrete. It doesn't sound like God will eventually get around to answering my need, He is actively and purposefully working to get it done!

"See to it" is such a stronger phrase than "provider", because it gives the tone of an active, immediate response. This new translation of an already learned name of God, gave me a fresher understanding of God as my provider. He is not only listening to my prayers, and promising to provide, but He is urgently working to "see to it!" Isn't that so comforting? 

Isn't it so comforting to know that in our daily prayer life, we can lay our requests, our needs, the needs of those around us, indeed our entire lives at the feet of Jesus, and know that He is immediately working? 

His love for us is that deep, each and every one of us. He doesn't put my prayer on a shelf until He takes care of Sally's prayer, He doesn't put your prayer on a shelf until He takes care of Joe's prayer. He has made it top-priority to "see to" your need today. 

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One other thing to note here, is that God provided for Abraham after he had proven his love and devotion to God, by obeying His command. Though God's request must have broken Abraham's heart, he was willing to do it, because He loved God and desired to obey Him. It was in the action of obeying that God was able to bless Abraham, and provide for him. 

Sometimes we don't like what God asks of us, and sometimes the things God requires of us may even hurt. But are we willing to walk through those painful times, in order to see God's blessing? Are we trusting that in those hard times, God will come through for us, and "see to" delivering us from our current problem? 

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The same God who provided for Abraham on Mount Moriah is the same God who wants to provide for you today. Trust Him where you are today, trust that He is working, and will reveal His solution in His time. He may need to see you take a step of faith, He may need to know you're completely devoted to Him.