Wednesday 7/2/2025 Devotional
02/07/25 13:55
Thus says the Lord of hosts: "If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in My sight, declares the Lord of hosts?"
Zechariah 8:6
Sometimes God uses natural means to answer our prayers. We ask Him for healing, and then we go to the doctor and take our medicine. That's not a lack of faith, it's appropriate, because both the medical knowledge and the effective medicine are gifts of God, so we thank Him for these gifts as well as for the healing.
We pray for God to meet our material needs, to give us our "daily bread," and then we work diligently at the job He provides, and thank Him for both the job and His blessing on the work of our hands. Both the job and the prosperity that results from it are God's provision in answer to our prayer. How many are there who work much harder than we do and see no results, no prosperity? So it's appropriate to thank Him.
But then there are the times when the need is so far beyond the reach of the natural world in which we live that only direct, miraculous, divine intervention can overcome what's lacking, meet our need, and answer our prayers. We're left with nothing but God's direct answer to our prayers, and our trust in Him. That's when we hear, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord of hosts."
(Zechariah 4:6)
When God puts into your hands the means to answer your prayers, receive them gratefully as His gracious gift. Just don't forget that they are, in fact, God's provision in answer to your prayers. And when the natural means of achieving what's needed aren't given to you, trust Him anyway. After all, it's God who is answering our prayers, not you or I.
Father, I don't always understand the interplay between Your provision by natural means and Your miraculous, direct intervention. But I know that I can trust You, and that You will always graciously hear and answer my prayers as I bring my need to you. How You do it in each case is entirely up to You! Thank You, Lord. Amen!
Pastor Dan Giles
Zechariah 8:6
Sometimes God uses natural means to answer our prayers. We ask Him for healing, and then we go to the doctor and take our medicine. That's not a lack of faith, it's appropriate, because both the medical knowledge and the effective medicine are gifts of God, so we thank Him for these gifts as well as for the healing.
We pray for God to meet our material needs, to give us our "daily bread," and then we work diligently at the job He provides, and thank Him for both the job and His blessing on the work of our hands. Both the job and the prosperity that results from it are God's provision in answer to our prayer. How many are there who work much harder than we do and see no results, no prosperity? So it's appropriate to thank Him.
But then there are the times when the need is so far beyond the reach of the natural world in which we live that only direct, miraculous, divine intervention can overcome what's lacking, meet our need, and answer our prayers. We're left with nothing but God's direct answer to our prayers, and our trust in Him. That's when we hear, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord of hosts."
(Zechariah 4:6)
When God puts into your hands the means to answer your prayers, receive them gratefully as His gracious gift. Just don't forget that they are, in fact, God's provision in answer to your prayers. And when the natural means of achieving what's needed aren't given to you, trust Him anyway. After all, it's God who is answering our prayers, not you or I.
Father, I don't always understand the interplay between Your provision by natural means and Your miraculous, direct intervention. But I know that I can trust You, and that You will always graciously hear and answer my prayers as I bring my need to you. How You do it in each case is entirely up to You! Thank You, Lord. Amen!
Pastor Dan Giles
Archives
February 2026
January 2026
December 2025
November 2025
October 2025
September 2025
August 2025
July 2025
June 2025
May 2025
April 2025
January 2026
December 2025
November 2025
October 2025
September 2025
August 2025
July 2025
June 2025
May 2025
April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018