Matthew 15

 

"They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over."

{Matthew 15:37 - 34:14} (NIV1984)

Four thousand men were fed! Earlier five thousand men were fed! Women and children were fed on top of that number. I wonder if we realize how large these crowds were, and what a tremendous miracle our Lord made happen. He 'had compassion' on them. He knew they needed nourishment and so He gave them food. They had sought Him out, and were more interested in Him and His teaching and healing, then they were in food. Who would have thought, simply take a little bit of food, give thanks, break it into pieces over and over again until everyone is full. 

Our Lord expects us to learn a lesson from this. He rebuked His disciples for forgetting these miracles, (Matt 6:8-10) and told them they have little faith. Friend, may we have big faith! Whatever our situation, may we remember today that our Lord is compassionate - He cares. Remember our Lord is able to meet our needs, and will meet our needs.  Hallejuah! What a Saviour!

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2 Kings 6:24 thru 7:20

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

{Isaiah 40:13} (NIV1984) 

The situation recorded in 2 Kings 6 & 7 was desperate. The price of food was sky high. The women were eating their own children. The king had decided to give up on the LORD and to kill His prophet. The four lepers outside the city decided dying from the enemy was better than starvation. BUT! Elisha knew that the LORD would deliver them. The LORD had shown him that deliverance was at hand and that all they had to do was wait for morning. The king’s attendant did not believe there was any way that God could deliver them, and he died without tasting the deliverance.

Friend, this is a fascinating historical story, but it's lessons are for us. What situation are we in that seems hopeless? What disaster is going on in our lives that seems beyond God’s help? Our Lord told us twice, “your Heavenly Father knows what you need” (Matt 6 & 7). God is your Father; He will help you! Trust Him, hope in Him, call on Him, and look for Him in the morning. 

But you are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed,

but of those who believe and are saved. (Heb 10:39)

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Exodus 16

"He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you."

{Deuteronomy 8:16} (NIV1984)  

What a predicament the Israelites were in! Here they were, in the middle of a wilderness, facing starvation. They had followed Moses through the sea and were on their way to meet God. They were in the centre of God’s good, pleasing and perfect will (Rom 12:2) and yet they had no food. They didn’t see it as an opportunity to grow their faith or to bless them. NO - they looked at it as incompetence on their leader’s part, and even worse, a nefarious plan by God to put them to death by starvation. 

Yet, God’s Word teaches us, that their lack of food was part of God’s plan to humble them and test them so that they might prosper. 

Oh friend, what situation are you in today? You have been following your God, trusting Him each step of the way and yet here you are in this predicament! Friend, learn from this account. God has done this. He is doing this for your good. He is the one you must depend on. You will get what you need each day, and no more! Day by day, you and God. Lift up your face and look to heaven. Reach out your hand and grasp the hand of God. 

Day by day, and with each passing moment,Strength I find, to meet my trials here;Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment...

{Day by Day,  Caroline V. Sandell-Berg (1865)}

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Job 38:39 – 39:4

"Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?"

{Job 38:40} (NIV1984)

So friend, what is the answer to the question of God? I fear that the fallacy of ‘evolution’ and ‘natural selection’ have completely deceived us. Do we think that somehow 'nature' randomly cares for itself? Or do we believe that God individually cares for each of His creatures? Do we think that creation operates under 'natural laws'? Or do we believe that what we call “natural laws” are actually observations of the normal workings of a sustaining Creator interacting with His creation (Heb 1:3)? This is not philosophic rambling, these questions are ‘rubber meets the road’, real life faith questions!

Our Lord taught us that a sparrow doesn’t fall from the sky apart from the will of God. And then He tells us that we are more important to God than a bird (Matt 10:31). Friend, do you believe this today? Whatever your situation, God is there. Not only is He there, He will provide all you need, and then He will take you to be with Him forever. Call on His name; look for His hand.

Our Father who art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread.  

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1 Kings 17

"The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook."

{1 Kings 17:6}  (NIV1984)  

We could say that Elijah was a poor planner! 'Come on Elijah - didn’t you think through that if the rain and dew stopped, that you wouldn’t have food? You could have even planned a trip to Egypt like your forefathers. But no, not you! No, you have to go and by faith pray that there would be no rain (Ja 5:17) without any preplanning or forethought!' 

As we read 1 Kings 17 what stands out is the word ‘THEN’. Elijah says to Ahab, ‘no rain’, THEN the LORD sends him to a brook where the birds bring him food. The brook dries up! THEN the LORD sends him to the widow’s house. The widow feeds Elijah first and THEN God provides food miraculously for her and her son. 

There is no revealed plan, no two year, five year long range, multi-level strategy. Nothing! Nada! All there is in this story, is two people who know the LORD and trust Him. Elijah wanted God’s kingdom to be restored to Israel and he didn’t care if it killed him! The widow believed God’s promise and obeyed a command that went against self preservation. 

What about us today, friend? Will we on this day seek God’s kingdom? Will we believe His promises and make decisions that appear to hurt us? O Heavenly Father, increase our faith we pray!

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