Abba Father

Ps. 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep

Yesterday morning I was looking at next weeks install schedule and was talking with our production manager as to why we have some really good jobs on the board that aren't ready to be scheduled. So we have days available to us to install but nothing is ready to go in, which means we can't include this in our sales for the month.

I was thinking about God being the Provider, vs. me being the "provider". It is wearing to be the family provider. This is our role as men, but there can be a lot of pressure when things aren't going as we plan. The wife is to submit to her husband. The kids are to also submit and all are supposed to be content in what is provided. But what about my role?

I saw, for the first time, that I am really not the provider, but that God is THE Provider. I'm a little thick. As the head of my family and PG I am to submit to God's provision, whatever that may be, and let Him carry the weight that I have felt. After all, I am not providing anything anyway. He is the Giver of everything, so what am I doing? I often want to "help" God by doing my part. What is my part other than to work as unto Him and to trust that He will continue to provide? Nothing.

I got this lesson a little bit more yesterday evening. It's funny how God can emphasize a point.

Kimmy and a friend were doing some errands before meeting us at Garrett's last BB game. She called just about the time we left the driveway and said she had been rear ended. She quickly sad that everyone, including those in the other cars, we ok, but she didn't know exactly what she should do. She was calling her dad to get instructions and to let him make the decision. She needed to know that I was there for her and that she was doing the right thing. She was submitting herself to my care and provision. She was calling out "ABBA FATHER" which means "daddy, daddy".

After thinking about this some more, I think this is really what God wants from us, even dads. He wants to take our burdens. He wants to be the SOLE Provider. He wants us to look to Him for our daily bread, for our snacks, for our for our everything. And when He does provide, as He has done so faithfully over every generation, we should be the most thankful people.

What would we have if He did not give it? What will we get that He doesn't give it? What should we want that is not of Him? What will He withhold that we truly need? NOTHING!
Have we ever gone w/o something we needed? Has He ever left us to face life on our own? If He hasn't left us without before, will He start now? If He has always Been there for us, will He change now? NO!

Father I want to see my dependence on You. I don't want to try to carry the burden of being the provider when You want to take it from me. You are the Giver and I want to acknowledge and thank You for what You have provided. Thank you for allowing me to see that You are the One who does provide, the One who loves to have me call out "Abba Father". You are there to supply all my needs, according to Your riches in glory. Your ability to provide is so infinitely higher than mine and yet You give because You love Your children. It is not a burden to You to give. You give and Your supply is not diminished. Your storehouses are full of the best things. Please give us to day what we need for today, and Lord help me be content with Your provision and to be looking to and trusting in Your care for those who You have entrusted to me.