The Gracious Provider

O Lord, "Let me dwell in your tent forever!
Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!"

And bless our study today. Amen.

Read Psalm 61

Read Matthew 14

It is true that the One who has provided for all our needs is the Lord God. It is true that he usually uses ordinary means to provide. For me, that means working for the Lord, and receiving a paycheck. Carefully dividing that paycheck so that I give firstfruits to the Lord, pay my bills, buy food and clothing and the provisions of life, and save some (hopefully). This is very difficult to do well, impossible to do perfectly. We make what we think is a "good investment" (a purchase or an actual investment) but it turns out to have been a waste. But that's another topic...

...Back to the topic of provision. God ordinarily uses ordinary means. But we see all throughout Scripture that God can, and does use extraordinary measures. Manna falls from the sky. Ravens bring food. An oil jar never runs dry. A flour jar never empties. A fish opens his mouth to provide coins for the temple tax. Fish jump into a net at what should be the wrong time and place. And today, we see a couple fish and a few loaves of bread feed well over 5,000 people.

What should this communicate to us? Well, if we remember that God ordinarily uses ordinary means, we make every effort not to be wasteful or gluttonous. We don't want to put God to the test, challenging him to provide faster than we can spend. So we don't go crazy knowing that God can work miracles.

But on the other hand, when we have done our best to be careful with our funds and all things entrusted to us, then we can certainly be confident that God will provide. And I don't mean to make that sound like his provision is contingent on our perfection. Though we make mistakes, though we make wrong choices because of our limited knowledge, limited skill, or even sinful desires, God still promises that he will provide for his children. We should certainly be confident of this because don't we provide for our children? And we are "evil" compared to God. Won't he certainly provide for his children? Yes.

And so we do our best, but we remember that our provision (in the end) is not dependent upon us. God gives because he is a gracious Provider. He is loving and kind, and sends rain on the good and the wicked alike. So, yes, we should be careful managers of what we have, but never at the expense of faith. Faith is more important. Receiving with thanksgiving, trusting his love, watching for his giving hand, relying on his guiding Spirit, we live with confidence that God can use ordinary and extraordinary means to provide. So let us live boldly. And if something turns out to be a mistake, then we have sinned boldly. But God has forgiven all the more boldly through his tortured Son. He certainly is a gracious provider.

Ask Yourself:

I am to carefully manage everything entrusted to me. What area of management needs improvement?

While I am managing everything, am I led to fear, to worry, to anxious thoughts? If so, do I need to find a better balance between faith and management?

What good gifts has God given me for which I thank him today?

Pray:

"Heavenly Father, thank You for abundantly answering my prayer: 'Give us this day our daily bread.' Amen." (TLSB p. 1612)

Study with me Monday,

Pastor Jon

Soli Deo Gloria!