Provision in Panic

When I consider the state of utter madness surrounding us, only one passage of scripture comes to mind- Matthew 6:25-34.

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Oh, you of little faith!

And in the Passion Translation:

“This is why I tell you to never be worried about your life- For all that you need will be provided, such as food, water, clothing- everything your body needs.”

Let us be an example of how the Body of Christ responds in crisis. We don’t go into panic mode. Our faith increases in measure- strong and steadfast.

Our reliance is on Christ for our needs.

Counter cultural, unexpected, but Biblical.

Rooted and established in LOVE- let others see that we are not worried. Because our faith is not in the government or leaders, but in the Creator of the Universe.

What if we set the example of how to respond in a crisis?

What if our faith and measure of belief increased rapidly with everyone else’s worry?

While everyone becomes paralyzed and irrational in their fear- shouldn’t we become even more steadfast in our faith?

A story that comes to mind is the Israelites wandering in the desert for forty years. Traditionally and generally speaking, there is not much provision in the desert. The fields are not lush with crops. Springs of water are few. It is barren and desolate in the wilderness. Hardly a place for someone to survive for forty years- let alone an entire people group.

But- God in his kindness provided for their every need.

He gave them manna- bread from the sky.

He supplied quail from heaven.

He brought water out of a rock.

He performed miracles in their desperation.

He gave them exactly what they needed, and he will give YOU exactly what you need, as well.

In fact, when the people became greedy and took more than they needed- the food spoiled!

Let this be a lesson to us all. In our greediness- the food spoils.

God gives us what we need, not what we want or think we deserve.

Deuteronomy 8 addresses the lesson God was inspiring in the hearts of men.

“Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Our Bread of Life is God’s Word- this is what we live on!

The food we eat may sustain our bodily organs but our true body, the eternal essence of us craves God’s Word. When we seek first the kingdom of heaven, focusing on the eternal, God provides. In fact, he may even make bread appear out of thin air!

So how can we even begin to doubt him?

Let our peace serve as an example of the faith we profess. In this time of uncertainty and panic, let us be witness to the great God we serve. May we look different. Let us live out our faith, not just state it.

People of God, what if God is trying to tell us something? Are we listening or is our panic drowning out his voice?

If you are asking- where is God in all of this- he is right here reminding us that man does not live on bread alone!

There is provision in panic.

Believe for a miracle!