Homeschooling? I’ve got your math covered for you. Here’s your word problem for the day:
If Johnny has 12 mega TP rolls that he adds to Junie’s 42 double-plus rolls and Anne’s 24 super mega triple rolls, how many people are wondering what ever happened to a regular roll?
TP math is hard. It’s hard even before you factor double ply versus single ply into the equation. Also you should never factor that into the equation. Because, let’s think about this—is single ply a thing that should ever really have happened? I’ve heard it might have something to do with supply and demand. Because supplying singularly won’t do, and we demand a better ply ratio.
Sorry, but if you ask me about single ply, I will always reply: Re-ply.
Ply, re-ply and sup-ply. A no doubt better reply, and a much better lesson in sup-ply, is found in taking a closer look at the weightier life issues. Issues, not tissues. Because we have a God who will supply everything we will ever need (Philippians 4:19).
God revealed Himself as our Jehovah Jireh, “The Lord Will Provide,” in Genesis 22 when He provided for Abraham. God provided a ram to sacrifice in the place of his son, Isaac. It was a provision that pointed to the provision of provisions. Paul reminds us our God who “…did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?” (Romans 8:32 CSB).
God provided for our eternity in the unspeakably glorious gift of our salvation through Christ. I’m utterly overwhelmed at the thought of this kind of immeasurable, gracious provision. I’m overwhelmed further that He could possibly give more than eternity. And yet He also provides for our now. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (CSB). Then Jesus gave us a reminder of the caring Father who takes sweet care of the birds and the flowers and asks, “won’t he do much more for you?” (vs. 30). He follows the question with an admonition not to worry. “So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (vv. 31-33 CSB).
We are granted freedom from worry and experience the most extraordinary peace as we think about the provision of God—as we see Him taking care of the smallest, even seemingly unimportant elements of His creation, and then as we let the fact sink in that our trustworthy Provider-God has us covered too.
Provision doesn’t mean we never experience difficulties here in this sin-cursed world. But much of trusting Jehovah Jireh is aligning our desires with His. It’s seeking Him first, Matthew 6:33-style. His provision may not always look like we thought it would, but we can rest assured that it’s perfect. He knows our every real need, and He delights in meeting each one.
He had it covered in the past. He has it covered now. He’s got it covered for our future. For every provision question, we can always reply that our God is on the best kind of roll. Any ol’ way you might add it up.