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Mar 14, 2023 18:30pm

We Can Trust the Provider

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“Forgive me for what I say and do when I’m hangry.”

Have you ever had to say that? If I’m hungry, I have to eat a meal immediately. But what if I’m traveling and not sure when I’ll get to eat? I am always prepared. Always.

Open up my purse and you’ll find a bag of trail mix, some starburst, and a box of chocolate chip cookies. In my console, you’ll find snacks too. I used to keep them in my glovebox until a mouse found them. That’s a story for another time.

I want to be prepared. I never want to be in a situation where I don’t have food. Not just for my health and safety, but for those around me. Should a psychologist read this, I’m sure there’s some type of diagnosis for my behavior.

Without food when I need it, I lose focus of what’s going on around me. I get irritated easily, frustrated quickly and things go downhill from there. The truth is, I am trusting in myself to provide what’s needed.

The disciples were doing something similar as they sailed towards Bethsaida.

“Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?” (Mark 8:14-21)

Let’s break this down into smaller bites.

First of all, Jesus starts out with the words, “take heed, beware of the leaven” (this is used to symbolize evil or sin) “of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod”.

Jesus was in a sense saying, “be aware of their sins, don’t fall into sin as they have”.

Immediately, the disciples began to murmur within their group and, like me, they go straight to the food shortage.

“It’s because we aren’t prepared. It’s because we only have one loaf of bread! How could we have been so dumb?! What will we do!?”

I wonder what the look on Jesus’ face was… I mean, I know He’s God and He loves us unconditionally, but…

He talks about their unbelief and misunderstanding. He reminds them of what He has done in the past – the feeding of the 5,000 and then again, the feeding of the 4,000. And yet, it’s like the disciples had completely forgotten about those instances where God provided exactly what was needed. That He was God!

And they sat dumbly thinking about this one loaf of bread while they were in the very prescience of God Almighty who is The Provider!

How is it that we do not understand? No matter what hardship we face, is He not still God? Is He not still in control? Does He not still love us? Doesn’t He still provide everything we will need? And yet, we sit dumbly, facing our problem as if we have no advocate.

Maybe the disciples thought, “Well sure, He will provide for the masses, but I hate to bother Him with something I need”.

Your needs are important to God. You are not alone. You are loved. Do not let the enemy, Satan, tell you otherwise. God created you and loves you. He cares about your life, your troubles, your thoughts… all of it! And He will provide according to His will.

We must trust Him.

Can we do that? Can we lay aside our need to provide for ourselves and trust that He will give us all that we need?

Father, I pray you forgive me for trying to take over your job. You can do it far better than me anyway. You are the provider. You are the One that created me to hunger and thirst for you! Help me recognize that you have a wonderful plan and I am honored and privileged to be a part of it. You will provide all that I need! Thank you, Lord! Amen!