Readings for today: Psalms 65, 66, 67, 69, 70
I have seen plenty and I have seen want in my life. I’ve had seasons where my bank account was full and times where it was empty. I’ve had years where I made plenty of money and was able to provide abundantly for my family and years where I’ve needed public assistance to feed them. I’ve seen both ends of the economic spectrum. I’ve moved up and down the levels of our economic system. Here’s what I’ve discovered to be true…God provides. He provides what we need in the time we need it. Maybe not more than we need but never less than what we need. Maybe not what we want or desire but enough for us to make it through another day.
Ancient Israel was an agrarian society. As such, they depended on the harvests each year to provide them with food. They worked hard. They were faithful to till the ground. Plant the fields. Do what they could to tear up the weeds or chase away the animals who might steal their crop. But as any farmer knows, there’s only so much one can do. Ultimately, there are so many things outside our control. The sun. The rain. The health of the soil. These things can only come from God. This is why David sings Psalm 65. It’s a song celebrating the bountiful harvest. It’s a song of praise to God the provider. It’s a song declaring the goodness of God the creator.
“You answer us in righteousness with awe-inspiring works, God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the distant seas. You establish the mountains by your power; you are robed with strength. You silence the roars of the seas, the roar of their waves, and the tumult of the nations. Those who live far away are awed by your sings; you make the east and west shout for joy.” (Psalms 65:5-8 CSB)
“You visit the earth and water it abundantly, enriching it greatly. God’s stream is filled with water, for you prepare the earth in this way, providing people with grain. You soften it with showers and bless its growth, soaking its furrows and leveling its ridges. You crown the year with your goodness; your carts overflow with plenty. The wilderness pastures overflow, and the hills are robed with joy. The pastures are clothed with flocks and the valleys covered with grain. They shout in triumph; indeed, they sing.” (Psalms 65:9-13 CSB)
“God’s stream is filled with water.” I love that line. Perhaps because my family has been in farming for generations. I know the importance of abundant water. In fact, my mom is about ready to replace a well on our land up in Nebraska because the old well is failing and the crops can’t survive without the water it provides. I also know the importance of Living Water. The kind of water Jesus talks about to the woman at the well in John 4. I’ve experienced it in my own life. No matter how much I’ve struggled or how far I’ve fallen or how little I may have, God always provides. His river is always flowing, providing what I need. Sometimes it feels like a trickle but it gets me through. Sometimes it feels like a torrent and I am overwhelmed by its abundance. Most of the time, I find it to be a slow, meandering stream constantly refreshing my soul.
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Chronicles 20, Psalms 51