God's Marvelous Provision

Matthew 6:25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat and drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” NIV

How easy it is to read these verses and believe, when we have enough provision for our daily life. But as we look at the scripture in today’s economy, it really takes faith to believe that God really is providing for ALL of our needs. Matthew 6:25-34 is describing the basic needs for our daily life. Jesus is stating here that the God, who created all creatures and men and gave them life, will also provide us with the means to sustain it! By taking the “birds of the air”, the lower creation, as an example, God is strengthening the argument that he would provide for us in the very same way! How could God ever watch out for the sparrows and neglect his very own children?

Joseph wasn’t worried about not having enough to eat during the years of famine; he had enough grain to feed the entire land of Egypt and even beyond! Was he worried before that time, which made him gather all the grain in advance? I don’t think so. I believe that this was part of God’s marvelous plan to provide enough food for an entire nation by giving supernatural wisdom to one man. In Genesis 41 we can read how God gave Pharaoh Dreams that he could not interprete. Because of those dreams, the chief cupbearer got reminded of Joseph, who was still sitting in the dungeon. From there, things went their way. By giving Pharaoh Dreams, God even provided for Joseph. He brought him out of prison and set him as ruler above the land of Egypt to then save the entire nation from starvation.

Joseph had enough grain in store to give away. In Genesis 41:49 it says that the quantities of grain were so huge that “he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.” God provides enough for us so that we can give away. In times like these, let’s give out of the abundance that we enjoy. It doesn’t always need to cost us a lot and it is often times not even about money. In Proverbs 11:24 it says: “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” Even in times when we can't be a financial blessing, we can give our love, time or an encouraging word to one another, simply offering help in times of need.
In difficult seasons we tend to withdraw and not let other people know about how we feel. It is easy to just look at our own circumstances instead of looking around, seeking for opportunities to bless others even in the midst of our circumstances. But in the early church which is explained in the book of Acts, the believers shared everything!

God knows the things that we need for our daily life. We don’t need to be worried about our provision if we are spending our resources wisely. What a mystery, how God cares for his entire creation, from the smallest insect to us human beings! Lord, I trust that you are my provider. I decide not to worry about my provision, instead, help me to be a blessing to others. Thank you for knowing my very need!