Have you had any shortages in the last couple years?
Many of us had never considered rationing toilet paper until the spring of 2020. I had always been excited when my kids wanted to use cleaning wipes to deal with their messes. That is, until we couldn’t buy any and we had to ration those, too.
I had friends who couldn’t build a new home because of a shortage of lumber. Others couldn’t buy a new car because of a shortage in computer chips. Others even struggled to feed their baby because of formula shortages.
After an era where we always went to a store to get what we needed, we saw empty shelves. At a time when we ordered whatever we needed online, we realized all the websites could be sold out.
For the first time in many of our lifetimes, we weren’t sure where provision was going to come from. That uncertainty triggered fear, anger, and even hoarding. Statisticians tell us more and more Americans now struggle with anxiety on a daily basis.
In this emotionally-charged and incredibly-challenging time, I wonder if God is inviting all of us into a new kind of relationship with Him.
I was out for a walk early one morning last month. It was still dark, and I had one headphone in my ear listening to a prayer meditation as I walked. The meditation ended with the narrator reading Psalm 23 - a passage I’ve heard more times than I can count. But once the narrator finished reading the passage, he invited me to pause and then read through the passage a second time.
During the second round, he added a twist. He read, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Then, he paused and asked, “Do you believe God has given you all you need? Do you believe God has provided for all your needs?”
That question literally stopped me in my tracks. I paused the audio and walked for a while considering that very question. Before my walk was complete, I resumed the audio and found a lot of other provocative questions hidden in that text. Questions that invited me to consider what it means to trust God's provision in my life.
This month, Air1 begins a new series about God the Provider. This is the component of God’s character which is reflected in Psalm 23:1. We not only read about God’s provision in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament too.
In Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul writes about his experience of God the Provider.
“At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
Paul makes a strong connection between his present experience and his source of provision. While he does show gratitude to the people from Philippi, Paul realizes the people are merely the delivery system for God’s provision in his life. God has taken care of Paul and God will continue to take care of Paul.
In addition to reminding the people of Philippi that God is their Provider, Paul also points out the source of this provision. The source is “God’s glorious riches.” Those riches have been transferred into our accounts because of what Jesus did for us. That’s good news!
As we get to know God’s character and the many components of His work in our life, we have fuel for our worship. Sean Curran sings about this idea in his song, "1,000 Names."
That’s what worship is all about.
I want to invite you to do what I did. Go for a walk with your audio Bible or get to a quiet space with your physical Bible. Read through Psalm 23. With each verse, read it and pause to ask yourself, “Do I really believe this? And if I did, how would that change how I’m navigating this moment I’m currently living in?”
I believe God is inviting us to trust in and depend on Him as our Provider in fresh ways this fall. I pray that you will seize this opportunity to allow Him to shepherd you and provide for you through whatever you are facing today.
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona. Scott is married to Dani and they are the parents of three “little savages.” He loves helping hurting people forgive others through his Free to Forgive course and you can read more of his writing at scottsavagelive.com.
