Ordinary Time

Pause

Consider this text from John Newton's, The Lord Will Provide.

Though troubles assail and dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail and foes all unite;
Yet one thing secures us, whatever betide,
The scripture assures us, the Lord will provide.

Still your heart. When you are ready, read today's scripture and open yourself to the One who provides.

Listen

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

Exodus 16:2-3

Think

Only weeks into their journey and the people of Israel want to go home. It’s hard. They can’t see the end. They long for their home, even as bad as it was. They are exhausted and hungry.

How easily do we give up when life gets hard? Our answers will be different because we experience life differently; yet, we often fail to see that God is with us in all of life’s circumstances. Yes, sometimes we want to give up when life piles things up. It happens when our grades are struggling, or when we fight with a friend. It is when home doesn’t feel like home, or when the light at the end of tunnel seems dim. Trusting is hard and we want to give up.

Yet, God is asking us to trust and never give up. God asks us to trust–even in hard times. Through the pain and the grief, God is walking with us through ALL of life.

Marnie Fisher-Ingram

 

Pray

God, help me to trust that you are with me each and every day. Amen.

Go

No strength of our own, or goodness we claim,
Yet since we have known the Savior's great name;
In this our strong tower for safety we hide,
The Lord is our power, the Lord will provide.

The Lord Will Provide, by John Newton