Devotional Scripture Reading:
Deuteronomy 8:1-18
God is our Sustainer. He provides support, relief, and nourishment to His people. But what does ‘sustain’ mean? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it’s to give support or relief and to supply with sustenance: Nourish. In essence, God supports us, offers relief in our trials, and nourishes both our bodies and spirits with the essential things we need.
While our bodies need basic necessities like food and water, thriving as humans requires more. Merely sustaining our physical bodies is insufficient; we need God’s words in our hearts and minds for an abundant life. As Jesus said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)
Being humble involves being brought low in a hierarchy and being insignificant and unpretentious. Sometimes, God brings us low to show how much we need Him. We tend to forget Him when life is good, and we have an abundance of clothing, food, wealth, and luxuries.
In the Old Testament, God shares stories of His love, provision, and care for His people. He promised to bless nations and save the world through His son, Jesus. Despite the Israelites becoming slaves in Egypt, mistreated and overworked, God had compassion. He led them out of slavery to a land ‘flowing with milk and honey.’
You’re likely familiar with Moses parting the Red Sea and God providing Manna from heaven. He also brought water from a rock in the desert. He showed them he could provide for them through the impossible. As God supplies our needs, we learn to depend on and trust in Him for our provision.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
What’s even more amazing is God humbling Himself and experiencing life as a man here on this earth. He brought His Son into the world in humble circumstances, born homeless in a manger – a food trough for animals. He showed us through the gift of his Son that He knows what it’s like to live as one of the poor, the humble, and the lower class of society. He knows what it’s like to be alone, to have friends, to lose friends and loved ones, to work hard, to be weary, to hunger and thirst. He knows what it’s like to be human and wants to help us through this life. What if we prayed daily to thank and bless God, remembering our dependence on His provisions? This could transform our hearts and lives, honoring God with our time and thanksgiving.
Jesus demonstrated how to pray, asking for just enough to make it through each day. What if we prayed daily to thank and praise God, remembering our dependence on His provisions? This could transform our hearts and lives, honoring God with our time and thanksgiving.
The prayer Jesus taught is a guide:
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:9-13)
Sit at the table of the Lord. Rest at his feet. Food sustains our physical body, but God sustains our spiritual body. Sometimes He provides us with just enough; enough to remind us that He alone is the supplier of our needs. Other times He gives us an abundance of provisions so that we can bless and help others and be His hands and feet on this earth.
Questions for the table:
- Have there been any times in your life when you have seen God show up at just the right time to supply a need?
- How does God daily sustain your family?
- What blessings can you thank God for right now?
- Why might God sometimes bring people low and humble them?
- What is the significance of Jesus declaring, “I am the bread of life”?
- How can you fit prayer into your daily life?
- How can you bless others and show God’s love to them?