“Think of the past, of the time long ago; ask your fathers to tell you what happened, ask the old men to tell of the past.”

He let them rule the highlands, and they ate what grew in the fields. They found wild honey among the rocks; their olive trees flourished in stony ground. Their cows and goats gave plenty of milk; they had the best sheep, goats, and cattle, the finest wheat, and the choicest wine.”

Deuteronomy 32:7;13-14

This passage is a look back of God’s blessings towards His people in the song of Moses. Moses is reminding them how God was their ancestor’s provider but as they grew rich in His blessings they also grew rebellious. It says, “The Lord’s people grew rich, but rebellious; they were fat and stuffed with food. They abandoned God their Creator and rejected their mighty Savior” (Deut 32:15). The song of Moses was in the last address to the people before Moses’ death. It is a strong warning to learn from the past and not make the same mistakes upon entering the promise land.

Entering the promise land, “a land flowing with milk and honey” would mean they would find not only rich blessings, but also the temptation to worship the blessing rather than the Blesser just as their ancestors had done.

It is so easy when we are feeling great and life is going great to forget that we need God. When everything is so conveniently provided for us we pass through our days without realizing it all comes from Him. We become self-reliant. When we are self-reliant we look to ourselves for provision, for answers, for pleasures. Those are God-given things and when we look into ourselves for those things we abandon God and worship ourselves. Its a slippery slope into idolatry. This is the exact thing that led the Isaelites away from God again and again.

As the grocery store becomes less consistent in prices and provisions its a good time to comtemplate where our help really comes from. We have gotten “fat” on the ease of provision, sometimes quite literally, but its the heart condition that is unhealthy. We have become complacent and don’t even recognize the one who provides it all. When these things begin to fail where can we turn? Who is our ultimate provider? The answer?

“I look to the mountains; where will my help come from? My help will come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” He will not let you fall; your protector is always awake.” Psalm 121:1-3

I was sitting in my outerroom today with the window open. The cool fresh morning air filled the room. It rained last night, a full heavy rain. I had just gone to the store yesterday, a frustrated late night shopping trip in which all the food was either expensive, not organic, or limited. I’ve been wanting to make the transition to local foods because it is the best thing for our bodies and the best thing for our communities and after my shopping trip last night I became even more motivated. When I felt the effects of the rain this morning I was overjoyed that the harvest got its full supply of rain, because that meant that my little garden got what it needed, the local farmers got what they needed, and my plate would be fuller come harvest time!

All through out the bible you see a thankfullness for the rain and the harvest. They gave thanks to the Lord for the rain because they were dependant on the harvest. Even Jesus, in teaching us to pray, thanks the Lord for our daily bread. Why is that? Because our God is our sole Provider! He is the one that gives us what we need, we just don’t feel the full remifications of living without this provision in modern America. We have rarely experienced a true daily dependance on the Lord’s provision. Most of us don’t even have to get our hands dirty working the land to receive the harvest, we just indulge.

When you realize how important that daily provision is your thankfulness upon the receiving of the promised provision is so much greater! In the same way when you realize your need for God’s word, you hunger and crave it, and are so excited when you are provided with the most satifying of food for your soul. His word is the provision and through entering into His presence, daily, you tend to the garden. In the end if you don’t give up in doing good, scripture says you will receive a harvest.

“Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a foold of God. A person will reap exactly what he plants. If he plants in the field of his natural desires, from it he will gather the harvest of death; if he plants in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit he will gather the harvest of eternal life. So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.” Galations 6:7-9

“My word is like the snow and the rain that come down from the sky to water the earth. They make the crops grow and provide seed for planting and food to eat. So also will be the word that I speak- it will not fail to do what I plan for it; it will do everything I send it to do.” Isaiah 55:10 – 11

It is time to get back to God. It is time to rely on His faithfulness: as provider, as our GOD, as the great I AM! It is time to feed into Him not only for our bodies and health but to feed and care for the health of our souls.

Even after all our sin and brokenness, even after we rejected Him, even as His son was killed: He died for us and bore up our suffering and sin. He pain the price for us.

He says to Israel upon their return home after punishing them for their sin and idolatry: “I scattered my people, but I will gather them and guard them as a shepherd guards his flock. I have set Israel’s people free and have saved them from a mighty nation. They will come and sing for joy on Mount Zion and be delighted with my gifts- gifts of grain and wine and olive oil, gifts of sheep and cattle. They will be like a well-watered garden; they will have EVERYTHING they need.” Jeremiah 31:10-12

Our provider is waiting for us to let Him provide. He is open arms to our repentence from our self-reliance. We can run to Him and He can show us how to navigate the future. No matter what comes, He takes care of His own like a shepherd.

“I am an old man now; I have lived a long time, but I have never seen a good man abandoned by the Lord or his children begging for food. At all times he gives freely and lends to others and his children are a blessing.” Psalm 37:25-26

Not only will we be God-reliant we will be His hands and feet of provision to others when we trust in him. As He freely gives we also can freely give. That cycle of righteous and generous living will directly affect our children and the next generation. They will be blessed and also be a blessing.

I am so excited to be on the journey of God-reliance and His provisions, it deeply feeds my soul. Letting go of myself is really hard but it is freedom from this world and the road to healing!

All scripture today was taken out of the Good News Bible by American Bible Society. 1997.