Week of July 6

It would be impossible to take a “food selfie” of all the daily bread that God provides. If you are like me, you often despair at the numbers of food photos people post on social media sites. These types of “pantry posts” seem to be all the rage, but I must admit that I miss the good old days where we saw pictures of kids at ball games, family gatherings, and puppies and kittens. I hasten to add, however, that many of these “foodies” contain some amazing treats to eat, but the scope of such pictures cannot even begin to match the daily gift of provision from God’s hand. Let’s ponder this truth today.

The overarching principle to take away from Psalm 104 is that we may depend upon God for all things. Our focal passage relates directly to our daily food needs (vv. 27-28). The psalmist follows this with a reminder that we must depend upon God, as well, for our continued existence (vv. 29-30). Our writer uses the words “in due season” to mean that God will give to us in the “right time” just what we need (Handbook). I hope that you see the point the writer is stressing. He wants us to know that what we “eat,” meaning that which we gather, comes from the Lord. So, we are to look to His hand for our provision!

God is at the root of earth’s bounty. First, God is the source of our material well-being. We fare poorly whenever we believe that we, ourselves, produce our sustenance. I loved the movie actor, Jimmy Stewart, but I wish the character he portrayed in the movie Shenandoah would be forgotten. His character, Charlie Anderson, the head of a hard-working farming family during the Civil War, prayed before an evening meal: “We cleared this land. We plowed it, sowed it, and harvested it. We cooked the harvest. It wouldn’t be here—we wouldn't be eating it—if we hadn’t done it all ourselves. We worked dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel. But we thank you just the same anyway, Lord, for this food we’re about to eat. Amen.” It remains a powerful movie moment, but is poor practical theology (cf. vv. 5-26)!

We should express thanks for God’s common grace. We are spiritual beings, and the first principle above becomes evident through our worship of God (cf. 145:15-15; 147:9). Notice all that the psalmist says: you give, you open your hand, you hide, you take away, you send, and you renew (EBC). The theological terminology used for such creation-wide provision is “common grace.” Make no mistake, however, the Lord sustains everything by His life-giving Spirit (v. 30). He also takes away the life-spirit in His creatures (v. 29; cf. Genesis 2:7; 6:17, EBC). God is continually sustaining His creatures and holding everything together. Our commitment must be foremost to the Creator and not to self-effort to sustain our existence. That false life direction will lead ultimately to futility.

I know this devotional begs a huge question: Why doesn’t God feed the hungry folks all across the world? You likely wonder why millions here at home and around the globe cannot get enough food to eat, have no homes in which to sleep, and struggle to make financial ends meet. Truthfully, there is more than enough food to sustain the world, but sinful humanity does much to hinder its distribution. 

Human actions contribute to the global hunger dilemma and are rightfully called into moral question. Negligence (e.g., a failure to act considering natural catastrophes), intentional action with an intent to harm (military conflict that creates massive starvation and poor sanitation among refugees), and unequal treatment of others (Western over-consumption of the world’s resources and callousness toward global need) demonstrate broadly the ways humans contribute to the problem of hunger. 

Here is the spiritual question for today. Look at your heart and hands for a moment, and then ask what you may do to make your worship of this good Father to be true and not hypocrisy. First, we must realize that long gone are the days, if they ever really existed, where churches could “go it alone” to address the world’s needs. Pray that God will move your church to participate in global networks to address hunger and poverty, and then act on your prayers as God leads. Secondly, invite God to confront your over-consumption and to use you to feed your community and world.

1. Take a minute and investigate your trash bin and garage sales. Are you practicing over-consumption of the world’s bounty, and then wasting it? Repent, of course, but determine to live with the world’s needs in view before you consume.

2. For Families: Our children and grandchildren are bombarded with consumer messages every day of their young lives. They also attend school where their fellow classmates wear the latest attire and carry name-brand backpacks and other gear. Think of ways to help your little ones learn to trust God in what they eat, wear, and where they live. Take the lead by building “gratitude” into their lives by pausing to pray over the meals, the clothing, and the various extra school supplies they receive. Ask them to draw a picture of their thankful hearts. Place it in a prominent location in your home to serve as a reminder of God’s goodness and provision.

May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock