I asked my son today, “What should I write the devotion about?” He responded: “Fire. How it can burn (like in a bad way) and also light the way.” And, it reminded me about a certain plaque at the Presque Isle Lighthouse, built in 1872 off Lake Erie.

The plaque I had in mind (seen below) was mounted on the inside of the door of the “Oil House” (a separate building, which I didn’t take a picture of). As you read through it, you learn that the oil used to light the lighthouse at night was originally lard or vegetable oil (though other lighthouses used whale oil too), but that this lighthouse switched to using kerosene (also called mineral oil) in the 1880s.

The fourth paragraph says the following: “Because kerosene was a much more flammable fuel than those used before, only one night’s supply was carried into the lighthouse to fuel the lamps as a precaution against fire.” My son’s statement rings true. There is power and danger at the same time.

In case you were wondering, the fuel looked like this:

Have you ever prayed to win the lottery? Or to get a big raise at work? Or to receive a big financial gift or settlement all at once? I sometimes ask my confirmation students if that is a legitimate prayer. The answer is yes, it’s legitimate, but thankfully we have the Holy Spirit intercede on our behalf, correcting our prayers for us.

Because what we are really praying for is that the God of provision will provide for us. We are really praying is, “Give us this day our daily bread.” That God provides just enough for today to get us through.

Did you know that about 33% of lottery winners eventually file for bankruptcy? (Source). There is also a Yahoo Finace article that discusses how up to 80% of professional athletes go broke after leaving their sport. Just like carrying all the kerosene up the lighthouse at once, there is a real danger to having all “your bread” all at once.

1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (Note: Other translations use “griefs” or “sufferings” instead of pangs.)

Instead, we are called to trust in God’s provision. The God who provides life and light and salvation will also provide for you.

For this sabbatical to happen, God provided for me and my family the funding necessary. And this was no small amount. But God, working through His people, was able to make it happen. The same rings true for family budgets or church budgets. Because here’s the real truth: If we can trust God with our eternal salvation, we can certainly trust Him with our finances.