Provision

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 more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26

We often have Kookaburras visit us and sometimes Colin hand-feeds them. Not a good idea really but we enjoy the experience. The other morning as I looked out our glass doors I noticed a large stick insect on the screen door.... I don't like creepy crawlies!  Soon, however a kookaburra landed on the railing followed closely by a mate.  They hadn't come to visit us but were eyeing up the insect.  No doubt it looked good to them for breakfast.  After deciding how to go about lifting the insect off the screen, one soon had it in his beak and off they went. Breakfast provided!

It can be very easy, in the current economic situation, to look at circumstances in fear and trepidation. There are people losing their jobs with little hope of finding another, youth leaving school and needing to find employment and the cost of living rising with every news broadcast.  But we don't need to fear, Christians, we need to BELIEVE!  We have a God whose name is Jehovah Jireh - the God who provides.  Unless we are put in a situation of need, we don't have opportunity to believe and see God at work.

I have a friend who has recently undergone surgery and chemotherapy for breast cancer.  She told me that although this journey has been a difficult one, it has also been a time when she has seen God provide for her and her son more than ever before.  She has also felt the love of God's family in a new way.  She can find reason to thank Him for this difficult experience. 

Psalm 112:7 says that the righteous (that's those who believe in Jesus) "do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them."  And why would he not?  The verse in Matthew says that he feeds the birds, and we are MUCH more valuable to him than they are! The apostle Paul encouraged his readers with these words, "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19.  Our part is to be good caretakers of what God gives us; not to hoard up unnecessarily, but not to waste our resources either.

Christians, as the days grow darker and more desperate, and they will, our lights should shine more brightly.  We should be beacons of hope and light in our world.  People who can be generous and help the poor because our God has provided for us. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, my provider, help me to trust you for all my needs and help me to trust you enough to be wise and generous with what you supply.  Amen