by Stacey
Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
Last night Makyra and I went to the store and bought a week’s worth of groceries. Being that the shopping carts here are half the size of those in the States, our’s was overflowing. And since we do not have a car we borrowed the overflowing shopping car to get our groceries across the street to our apartment. After that, I would usually haul all the groceries up multiple flights of stairs and consider this to be part of my workout routine for the week. This system works just fine.
But last night was a little different. When I pushed the shopping cart up to the front door of our apartment complex, two of our neighbors (whom I barely know) where standing outside. Next thing I know, they were carrying my groceries all the way to the top floor. Not only that, but they insisted I carry only a couple light bags.
This is just a simple story, but it reminded me of God’s consistent, intentional, deliberate care for me. Not only did he provide us with an apartment right across the street from a supermarket, but he gave us the money to buy the groceries, he gives me the health to haul them up the stairs, a child to play with in the store, and then to top that off, he arranges two neighbors I barely know to carry my groceries up the stairs for me.
There have been innumerable situations in our lives where we have been asked “so…how are you going to…raise thousands upon thousands of dollars…adopt four kids when you both just got laid off from your jobs…learn linguistics and then French while maintaining a healthy family life, etc. And our consistent answer is “Oh, we have no idea.” And at every stage the Lord who is all-knowing to see the variables we cannot, and all-powerful to make things happen that we cannot, simply takes care of us and works things out better than we could even imagine.
Just like the birds, we are not the ones who provide for ourselves, but it is the Lord who thoughtfully and abundantly gives to his children. We do not put food on the table but instead we look to the hand of God who gives to his children their food. If we could plan our own lives, with no obstacles to get in our way, these plans would not compare to the thoughtful plan of God that he has for his children. The Lord is a loving shepherd with endless love and endless resources who tells us to let the birds and the flowers remind us that he is well aware of our needs and will take care of his children.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. Psalm 145:15-16
Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
Last night Makyra and I went to the store and bought a week’s worth of groceries. Being that the shopping carts here are half the size of those in the States, our’s was overflowing. And since we do not have a car we borrowed the overflowing shopping car to get our groceries across the street to our apartment. After that, I would usually haul all the groceries up multiple flights of stairs and consider this to be part of my workout routine for the week. This system works just fine.But last night was a little different. When I pushed the shopping cart up to the front door of our apartment complex, two of our neighbors (whom I barely know) where standing outside. Next thing I know, they were carrying my groceries all the way to the top floor. Not only that, but they insisted I carry only a couple light bags.
This is just a simple story, but it reminded me of God’s consistent, intentional, deliberate care for me. Not only did he provide us with an apartment right across the street from a supermarket, but he gave us the money to buy the groceries, he gives me the health to haul them up the stairs, a child to play with in the store, and then to top that off, he arranges two neighbors I barely know to carry my groceries up the stairs for me.
There have been innumerable situations in our lives where we have been asked “so…how are you going to…raise thousands upon thousands of dollars…adopt four kids when you both just got laid off from your jobs…learn linguistics and then French while maintaining a healthy family life, etc. And our consistent answer is “Oh, we have no idea.” And at every stage the Lord who is all-knowing to see the variables we cannot, and all-powerful to make things happen that we cannot, simply takes care of us and works things out better than we could even imagine.
Just like the birds, we are not the ones who provide for ourselves, but it is the Lord who thoughtfully and abundantly gives to his children. We do not put food on the table but instead we look to the hand of God who gives to his children their food. If we could plan our own lives, with no obstacles to get in our way, these plans would not compare to the thoughtful plan of God that he has for his children. The Lord is a loving shepherd with endless love and endless resources who tells us to let the birds and the flowers remind us that he is well aware of our needs and will take care of his children.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. Psalm 145:15-16
