Provision

Even Lions get weak and hungry, but those who look to the Lord
will have every good thing.
Psalm 34:10

As I watch the news each day the predictions are a lot of gloom,
and doom. We see economies around the world in jeopardy,
and we see bids for power, and corruption in high places.
Our budgets are stretched as far as we can take them,
and IF we allowed ourselves to dwell in worry and self pity
soon life would seem bleak and hopeless. And many
are doing just that, living in fear and dread.

I am reminded of so many people in this life who suffered
great tragedy and loss yet somehow managed to forge
ahead with courage and resolve and rise above those
great losses and make sense of life. Often they found
purpose in life in doing for others rather than seeking
to fulfill themselves. It took their mind off their
own problems and made them feel a sense of purpose
and accomplishment to know they made a difference
in the lives of others.

I see people who after car accidents or serious illness
who have lost use of their legs or arms, or even
have trouble breathing and yet they manage to have
full productive lives. How do they do this? Look
at Christopher Reeves, who after a fall off a horse
became a quadraplegic and was put on a machine
to help him breathe. Yet he found even more purpose
in life and lived it to the fullest until he passed from this life.
How can we make sense of becoming a quadraplegic?
How can people find purpose when their own body won't work
and move? Because they make a conscious decision
not to feel sorry for themselves but to set short term
and long term goals and rise above their circumstances
and make the best of whatever life they have.

I have a dear friend whose life was a testimony to being
a servant to others. Her husband left her for another
man. She was a Godly woman and that was such a difficult
time for her to make sense of. Years later she remarried
a wonderful Christian man, and eventually she had a beautiful son.
She was very happy in this new life. One day she got a call
that her husband who was on a construction job
had been buried alive and was dead. Somehow she managed
to live through that time and forge ahead and build her life
around Christ and her son. One day as her son was
playing outside a neighbor shot a gun and accidentally killed
her 12 year old boy. Suddenly her life had been stripped of
everything she ever loved. I watched this woman then
turn her life around by spending her time teaching children
and serving others. Never thinking of herself, but of
what she could do to make life happier and easier and
more fulfilling. She gave her life and past to God,
and asked him to give her hands work to do. And He did.

Dear friends, all of us can make this choice. My own
life has become very complicated. I have a number of
physical problems that often feel like chains binding me.
I want to do this or that, but my body won't cooperate.
Often it seems unbearable. But if I allowed myself to
become depressed, life would be unbearable! So instead
I get up each morning and seek the good in the day.
I try to focus on positive things, to pray often, to seek
inspiration in God's word and in my relationships and to
forge ahead. To spend time singing and worshipping God.

Looking to God first, who is my provision, my strength,
my hope, my inspiration, my guide, my courage, my counselor,
, my peace, my Father.

Dear friends, you do not control a lot in your own life, but you
can control your thoughts. And you can lay them at the feet
of Christ and say God these are too much for me. I don't know
how to change them or overcome them, but I know that
you can show me the path to take, and help me walk on it.
I know you can make me rise early and find joy in the new
day, to focus on my blessings and the things I DO have,
and not to dwell on what I don't have or what seems to be going wrong.

This is not easy, but anyone can do it, by choosing to.
God is your provider. God will take care of you. I was young
and now I am getting old and yet I have never seen
God fail me even through the most horrific times in my life
when it seemed my world was imploding, God was there
in the midst of that storm, calming my spirit and making
a way where there seemed no way.

I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live
when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being
happy at any time in everything that happens, when I have
enough to eat and when I go hungry, when I have more than I
need and when I do not have enough. I can do ALL things
through Christ, who STRENGTHENS ME. Philippians 4:12-13

Why spend your money on something that is not real food? Why
work for something that doesn't really satisfy you? Listen
closely to me, and you will eat what is good; your soul
will enjoy the rich food that satisfies.
Isaiah 55:2

If your soul is not satisfied your mind and heart are
not satisfied. And only God can satisfy the soul. You have
choices today. Are you making ones that prosper you
or make you sad? Are you spending your money on things
to make you happy and they are not? Rise to the call of
God on your life, and seek Him first, everything else will fall
into place and give you peace and internal satisfaction.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33

Only one life will soon be past
Only what is done for Christ will last.