It was a sign that apparently the Lord did not want me to miss. CHRIST… SUPPLY shouted at me from the big neon letters on the storefront of the local Christian bookstore in my neighborhood. The ‘IAN’ of their company name was burned out and as I drove past, my eyes were riveted upon it.
It was one of those moments when I knew the Lord wanted to get a message to me. For a time, I had been pondering some increasing stirrings in my heart, with discouragement threatening to set in as I wondered how what I was hoping for would ever come to pass. The answer was in that sign. Only “Christ Supply” would bring it to fruition.
I would like to report that His supply has come and that I am living out those stirrings, but as of yet, I am not. What I can say is that for the past two years since I saw that sign (which I saw only that one time on a route I frequently drive; it seems that the company quickly fixed the burned-out letters), it has come to my recollection more times than I can count. Like a stake firmly planted in the ground, it has remained fixed in my memory with the force of Heaven’s sure promise behind it.
Then, on a more recent note, a few weeks ago my husband and I had gone to our counseling office to spend some time together in prayer. A number of heart cries were rolling around in us and we simply needed to get them out instead of trying to contain them within. We had been in prayer for some time and it was while Wayne was praying again that the word ‘increase’ kept coming to me and would not leave, but increase of what?
Intuitively I understood that Christ Supply and this internal cry for increase were related. But what I did not want to do was put demands on the Lord of where or what that increase was to look like. Through some hard lessons, I have learned that allowing God to lay out His path for me instead of plotting out my own is by far the better and wiser course. So, in prayer as my spirit groaned for increase, I deliberately chose to keep my soul out of the equation.
A week later, as small business owners, Wayne was preparing the annual state B&O tax payment. To our surprise, a large credit was listed in the paperwork and we ended up paying about one-sixth of what we anticipated. Increase. A day or two later, we received payment for some other work performed in an amount higher than we anticipated. Increase again. (And none of it too soon as we still have other self-employment taxes to pay!). The Lord seems to be taking delight in showing Himself to be the God of Increase in answer to our obedience to seek Him without placing our demands on how He answers.
And now this evening as I searched out the scripture to accompany this blog post, He spoke to my heart’s cry increase of another kind; of a deeper, richer flavor:
“Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality…” II Corinthians 9:10 NASB+
As I looked up the verse in the original, I had to grin! Some of you have read of my desire to have learned to dance when I was a little girl (see The Humble Stumble and Other Dance Steps, May 2010). The word ‘supply’ in the phrase ‘will supply and multiply your seed for sowing’ means ‘to be a dance leader’ (!) and the word ‘multiply’ means ‘increase.’
The Bentz translation reads that as, “Christ Supply – the leader of your life dance – will multiply (increase) your sown seed and increase (grow up, enlarge) the harvest (birth, age, generation, nation) of your righteousness (equity in character and act); you will be enriched (made wealthy) in everything for all liberality (sincerity and singleness without self-seeking)…”
Christ Supply is a sure supply, a ‘take it to the bank’ supply. That’s Christ’s part.
Our part is to ensure that we guard our heart, for there is no quicker way to cut off the outflow of a righteous wellspring than to be self-seeking and thinking we have our future all neatly planned out. Things can change faster than a speeding bullet, trust me.
That is all the more reason to follow the steps of the Dance Leader, sowing in righteousness, so we may in His timing enjoy the increase of our harvest.
Praying for Christ Supply of your every need, both within and without –
Dancing Free
Praise the Lord!
Oh Nanc, Just thank you for this! It brought to mind the Lords absolute AMAZING workings in my own cancer journey. From the very beginning, after I had just found out and been to a couple of those (which later seemed to be never ending) appointments, and I was driving home from one of them… I look to my left and there is this big “white truck” right next to me. It would not have been that I believed the Lord was speaking to me through this truck (I know, sounds silly), BUT… as I drive to the side of this truck, there just happen to be a “rainbow” on the side of it. I hear the Lord speak to me, “There is hope, I am hope”. This van stayed at my side almost all the way down “Division St” from “Sacred Heart med building”, until I get to “Country Homes Blvd” (Hmmm, just hit me the significance of those names. LOL 🙂 )(anyway, You know how far that its)! This whole time, I heard Him saying, “I am with you, I am with you”. Then it turns at Country Homes Blvd.! As the truck turns, I look back, I see this what looks like “a crown” to me on the front of the truck. Then I hear ,”I am King, I will be with you”. Well, by this time I am in tears, but with amazing peace flowing through me, (Cause before that, I was a wreck!)LOL!) It just AMAZES me what God will use to speak to us. How loving, merciful, and so gracious He is toward us. Thank you for your words that remind me of this. It seems that in spite of circumstances we need this reminder. I know that the Lord will help you to “coast” through the remainder of this journey, and Supply ALL in order to fulfill His greater purpose within you. You are such a blessing. Please be encouraged that He is using you mightily! I LOVE YOU! Your bosom buddy ;D ~Paula