in time of need

12 The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:12-16

Margaret Laird and her husband had left the US and were serving a second missionary term in Africa. Another missionary who was pregnant visited them, and Margaret delivered her baby and took care of the mother and child for more than a year. Oatmeal water and prune juice were required to dilute goat's milk for the baby's bottle. So Margaret gave the mother her supply of oatmeal and prunes.

Later when Margaret's own baby boy was born and was also bottle-fed, she no longer had her supplies, and baby Clifford wasn't doing well on undiluted milk.

Now what? Margaret wasn't in the US where she could easily get more oatmeal and prunes for her baby. It was 1931 and she was in the middle of Africa.

At that time, the woman whom she had cared for stopped by. She was on her way to a town 75 miles away and offered to pick up supplies. Oatmeal and prunes were obviously high on Margaret's shopping list. The woman scoffed, “You knew you were going to have a baby. You should have ordered those things from America. You know good and well that I'll never find those things at Bambari.”

Margaret was so upset by the insensitivity of this woman that she couldn't speak. She had returned from America prepared, but had given all the oatmeal and prunes to this woman's baby! Devastated, Margaret began to pour out her heart to the Lord: “Lord, you know all about it. I know you're able to provide for my children—even in the heart of Africa.”

She was still on her knees when her husband called her from another room. He introduced her to two men from a Portuguese mining camp from far to the north. One of them said, “Mrs. Laird, we get all of our provisions from Belgium, and every month they send us tins of oatmeal, dried prunes, and cocoa that none of us ever use. Would you accept them for your children?”

God had provided for Margaret before she had made her request. As we cry out to him, we “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). —Steve Farrar stevefarrar.com

seeking: Father, how have your mercy and grace encouraged me this day? What praise for your provision will I give to you?

responding: What is my normal response to need? What does God promise if I cry out to him about my need? How has he provided for me in the past?

Father, you know my needs even before I state them. But I bring them to you as you have told me to do. Thank you for your faithful provision. Your loving care is evident in my life.

following: Go to God with all your needs.

our journey