El Shaddai

In the summer of 2016, I left my very secure job with a salary to pursue a dream career that would give me more time with my daughter, who was only 1 at the time.  I made the move prayerfully and with my husband’s blessing, who was also glad about the promise of no more 45+ hour workweeks.  It was scary to me to think about trading financial security for the hope that I could make it in my new role, which was certain to be commission-based and include plenty of feast-or-famine paychecks.  My memory of the eve of my first day at my new job is vivid.  As I sat on our back patio, looking at the sunset peeking through the thick tree line, I was so encouraged by the Holy Spirit as He recalled scripture to my mind. 

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33

 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing.” Psalm 23:1

As my heart was encouraged, I remembered a study that we were doing in my Sunday morning Bible study class. Our leader brought up one of the Hebrew names for God – El Shaddai (šaday) or God Almighty.  It was a name that pointed to the all-sufficiency of God’s nature.  He is the one who provides everything we need, not paychecks, job security, savings accounts, or solid retirement plans. That was all the extra confirmation I needed. The next thing I remember is kneeling down on the concrete and picking up a stick of scattered sidewalk chalk from the patio. And I wrote “EL SHADDAI” in big, bold, scripted letters.

It’s been almost 10 years since that warm summer evening in my backyard, and the same holds true: my God is still El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient One.  He has limitless power to sustain the universe, so how could His children ever truly lack what they need? It’s impossible for Him not provide. This name for God also points to other meanings.   One comes from the root word šāḏaḏ, which means ‘to violently destroy’.  We serve a God who violently destroyed sin on our behalf so we could be adopted through salvation into His family. My favorite is the way it points to His nurturing care. A related word in Hebrew is šaḏ meanding breast or bosom, which points to His tender care and nurture towards us. 

Needless to say, there have been plenty of famine paychecks that tested our faith, but the feasting ones have come, too, and each one was just at the right time to cover any need that arose. My God is faithful to provide all that I need.  He’s not faithful because I’m good or have done anything to earn His favor. He’s faithful because it’s His nature to be faithful, and the Bible reminds us of this over and over. His faithfulness doesn’t guarantee material wealth or things we can achieve.  It goes so far beyond that.  Because He is the source of everything good, He is all we need. 

“Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9

“The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

“Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” Psalm 36:5

“O LORD God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.” Psalm 89:8

“Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands.” Psalm 119:90

 “…if we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

These examples are just a glimpse of the depth of His faithfulness. I encourage you to dig deep into the Bible to learn more ways God has shown His kindness through His faithfulness to His people. Where have you seen God’s faithfulness displayed in your own life?  How has this caused you to seek Him differently?

He’s proven His faithful nature to me personally, for my entire life.  I can always count on God’s faithfulness to provide all that I need, even if I don’t see it in the midst of a storm.  I can seek Him through scripture and choose to remember all the ways He’s been faithful to me in the past.  I am so thankful that none of his provisions count on me. 

Ardently His,

Jessica

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