Mensa Otabil - God Takes Care of His Children
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Well, this week we are focusing on God’s provision and how God takes care of His children during times of hardship.
So we go to the Gospels and hear from the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 6, verse 26: «Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?» The Lord Jesus Christ lived in our world, and He lived also in a very harsh world. He lived in a Jewish community that was under Roman domination, and so the Jewish community in Jesus' time was one of the poorest groups in that space. They were not well treated; they were paying harsh taxes, and life was very hard for them. Of course, He knew that His people-His disciples-had to have their needs met. They had to have food, they had to have clothing, and they had to have shelter. Jesus understood that, and that is the world in which He lived. He was constantly confronted with His people’s needs, and this is what He is addressing in this statement. He’s assuring His people of God’s care and God’s provision, and I believe the Lord Jesus says the same things to us today: that God cares and God provides.
So He tells them, «Look at the birds of the air.» Jesus is talking about the birds of the air. The birds live in the world with us; we live in the same world as the birds. They spend much of their lives in the air, but they eat on the ground. So when there is hardship on the ground, the birds must also experience hardship because they don’t eat in the air; they come to the ground. So He says, «Look at the birds; they live in the air. They don’t farm, they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they don’t have harvest bins; they don’t, of course, have fertilizers and all the things we have.» So consider them. They live in the air and still have to eat from the same ground we eat from. And He says God takes care of them. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Why? Because if the human beings on the earth have nothing to eat, of course the birds should not have anything to eat. But Jesus is saying that even though human beings on the earth may not have much to eat, God is able to provide for the birds. The birds can find something to eat; they fly from place to place and they get leftovers. They may not have the most sumptuous meals, but they get by nicely.
Then Jesus ties this closely and says, «You are more valuable than the birds.» That’s where our faith is before God. We are more valuable than the birds. That’s Jesus speaking, not us saying we are more valuable. Jesus says, «You are more valuable than the birds.» So although there may be scarcity in the land, and although there may be difficulty in life, Jesus says your Father knows how to feed the birds, and He knows how to feed you too. Why? Because you are more valuable. How much more will God not take care of you? You sow, you reap, you work; you have gifts, you have talents, you have abilities. You have far more value than a bird, and so God is able to take care of you.
As we deal with life, one of the things we must know is that we do what we can and God does what He does. What we can do may not be all that is needed to help us survive, but God knows how to take care of you. Just be assured and be certain in your heart that God knows how to take care of you. You will not be put to shame; you are of value to God, you are important to God, and He will bring you through and give you a song and a testimony. So God says to you, «You are more valuable,» and He will take care of you.
Let’s pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, you are my provider. As I plow my field, give me a harvest of abundance. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.