We occasionally need to be reminded of some of the fundamental realities underlying our beliefs. The above title makes reference to one of these truths. Even though it should be evident, we frequently choose sight over faith when confronted with a significant or frightening situation. We want some reassurances that the thing God is calling us to will result in anything good or pleasant. Before we proceed, we want to SEE that God is providing for us. The issue with that is that, in the truest definition of the word, seeing is not believing. In addition, before performing many of His magnificent and amazing deeds, God asks us to have confidence.

The Priests carrying the Ark were directed to proceed down to the river as the Israelites approached it to pass over into the Promised Land. The river divided when their big hairy toes touched the water, not when they waited on the shore for it to do so.

No famine-sized amount of flour was delivered to the widow with the miraculous jar of flour to see her through the drought. Every day she dipped her hand into an ostensibly empty jar and her fingers encircled the cool, smooth flour that God had provided. God often only provides us with enough for each day, in proportion to our daily trust and obedience, just as He told the Israelites to go out each day and gather manna in the wilderness.

I refer to this as the “widow’s jar concept” because it has shown to be so true in my own experience. This does not imply that I think everything will happen if I have enough faith, or that I have faith in faith. This kind of widow’s jar faith is always in response to a call from the Lord to obedience, and it is based on His assurance that He will give us the ability to carry out everything He calls us to do. God’s bidding is God’ enabling.

So I have faith to take that initial step, knowing that He will provide the power and resources for the rest, since He never asks something that He cannot make possible.