Tuesday, August 21, 2012

The God Who Provides


When I was a kid, I remember seeing this print hanging in people's houses. I always liked it because it so honestly displays humility and gratefulness to God for the little things: His Word and bread.



Be Content

In my morning devotion, I am reading about being content with what the Lord has given me. This is a topic I have blogged about before because it is something I feel we all struggle with from time to time.

It's isn't easy living with contentment in 2012 . There is always something else to buy, use, try, make, earn, etc.

It never really ends!

We buy the iPad and the newest model comes out. We buy the latest car and the newer model comes out. We buy the latest appliance and a newer model comes out!  And so it goes on and on...

Paul wrote about being content. He knew what it was like to have wealth and to be poor and yet he learned to be content in all circumstances. I love reading his words. 




The Lord's Righteous

But, for me, the words of King David always stuck with me ever since I studied them back in 1997. That's when I first read Psalm 37.


"I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread."  Ps 37:25

Those words penetrated my heart back then and remained with me through many hard financial times in the last decade or so. 

King David had seen much in his life. In Psalm 37 he reflects on how he had seen the wicked prosper and then fail. He had seen how the Lord protects the righteous man and that man is the one to follow because the Lord guides his footsteps. 

Then he tells us how in all his life, he had never seen the Lord's righteous begging bread. In other words, the Lord provides for His own. 




The God Who Provides


What comforting words! What peace. 

I can live my life knowing that if I walk with the Lord, no matter what the world may suffer, the Lord will always provide for me. Will He always provide filet mignon?

No.

But will He provide what I need to live? Yes. 

And that's what brings me back to that famous print. 

The man isn't praying humbly before a sirloin steak with lobster. He is praying before God's Word and bread.


King David learned it all by the time he was old. He had lived through wars in the land and wars in his household. He had seen his own children die and he had seen the land suffer.

Yet through it all, He saw how His God always provided for His righteous. 


There is great comfort in reading those words.


There is great comfort in loving a God who promises He will provide for His own. 

I am so glad to be one of His own.

Now, I just have to learn to be content with knowing that...





Your turn:  How has God proven to you that He will always provide for you?





Blessings,
Ruth





5 comments:

  1. What I love is not just the "big" things God provides for like bills and house payments, but He's provides for the "small" things, the detailed things in our life and it's knowing He's paying attention to the little things, I think, that gives me the the faith to believe for the big things! :)

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    1. So true, Jessica. So very true. I often find myself thanking Him even when I find a great parking spot!! My son laughs, but I teach him to be thankful for the little things as well as the BIG things God does for us.

      Thanks for visiting! I'll get over to your blog soon...

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  2. I like to choose words for my year instead of making of a list of resolutions. One year, I chose the word "content" -- as in "be content with such things as you have."
    I found a framed saying that said: Be happy with what you have.
    Even now, several years later, I keep that saying in plain sight because it reminds me to stop wanting more -- and to be thankful for everything I do have.
    And how has God proven he will provide for me? Well, He was faithful as we evacuated during the Waldo Canyon Fire. Even in the midst of packing our cars and leaving our home -- watching flames on the ridge near our home -- God gave me peace.

    One more thing (sorry this is so long): My mom had that print of the praying man in our home for years.

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  3. I am currently looking for this print. It was in kitchen of my childhood home. My mom loved this picture and remember it was one of the first things she put up in out house. I lost her two years ago and have never gotten this picture out of my head.

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  4. I'm sure the print can be ordered. I sure hope you can find it! I'd like to have it, too.

    Thanks for visiting!

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