My Morning Musings

Since 2020 the word “shortage” has been in the forefront of our lives. It all seemed to start with toilet paper and hand sanitizer… From the largest box store to the smallest local grocery store, these items were in high demand and seemingly scarce. Limits were placed on items in attempts to combat the shortages, but still shelves were emptied faster than they could be stocked. Oddly enough, having these items gave a sense of security. Even if you had a few stocked up, buying one more “just in case” seemed to give a peace of mind.

Almost 3 years later, we are still facing shortages and “stockpiling” has become a common thread of conversation, social media advertisements, blog posts and articles. While it’s become a more relevant subject since the pandemic began, if truth be told, we’ve stockpiled for many events – tornadoes, hurricanes, and even the rare freeze or snow event in south Mississippi. 

It’s great to be prepared, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it and I think it’s wise to be prepared in these situations. However, do we really think that having a surplus of non-perishables will get us through? Is our faith misplaced? Are we placing more trust in items that might help us during a hard time than we are in a God who is in control of everything?

In Exodus 16, the Israelites began to grumble and complain because of the lack of food. Their physical hunger blinded them from trusting God even after being set free from the bondage in Egypt and witnessing the miraculous deliverance from Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea just a short 2 months before. The discomfort they faced caused them to wish they had stayed in bondage in Egypt where they had plenty rather than trust God, who had already performed great miracles to save them.

Despite their lack of faith and trust, God provided for their needs once again by raining down manna from Heaven every morning. One interesting fact is that they were to gather only what they needed for that day. If they were to gather more than they needed for that day, the manna would rot and stink. This may seem silly but God was using this to teach them to depend on Him in their time of need. This was an important lesson of dependency, trust and faithfulness to the God who could not only fulfill  their physical needs, but more importantly, their spiritual needs.

Just as He did for the children of Israel, God will provide for our needs. David reminds us in Psalm 37:25, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” 

Again in Matthew 6:26, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”

The way God chooses to provide may not look like what we would want it to look like or even how we would have imagined it would look like, but He will take care of His children. This goes much deeper than just our physical needs. God will take care of us spiritually. In the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:11, Jesus gives us an example as He prays, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This can be taken in both a physical and spiritual context but Jesus makes it clear that they are daily. With each new morning, we are to seek the Lord’s provision for what we need for the day ahead. Only God knows what we will face on a day to day basis and He will equip us to face it if we allow Him to do so. He will prove Himself faithful day after day, month after month, year after year. 

If you find yourself in a season of life where putting one foot in front of another is all you can do, that is exactly where you are supposed to be. We flourish when we depend solely on God because He is our portion. It is in those moments of total dependence on God where we grow and trust that He will provide for our every need. We are not meant to spiritually stockpile on Sunday and last all week. Our spirits will rot and stink. His mercies are new every morning and we are to tap in to His merciful bounty daily. 

Keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep pushing forward! Maybe what God is doing in your life isn’t what you planned. Perhaps the way He is choosing to provide isn’t the way you imagined. Remember He is in control and His way is always the best way. As you wake each morning, ask God to provide whatever you need for that day. It’s great to plan and pray for the future, but as you face each day, seek a fresh start filled with His presence and declare his faithfulness over your life.