It is always a fun exercise for me to look back at the times
God has provided for me in my life. Over and over again, from early childhood,
I have seen His hand of provision. I guess the first time I really remember
seeing this was at the end of my eight-grade year. Our house, unfortunately,
was repossessed. That is a sinking feeling for a young teen, not knowing where
you will go. As it turned out, our God provided a home and it turned out to be
one of the best things that ever happened to me. On another occasion, I
remember asking my mom what we would be eating for supper and she said we would
just have to see what God provided (we had nothing in the house). A few hours
later, several ladies from the church showed up with a car full of groceries;
God again.
Fast forward to my college years. We had no college fund and
really no idea how the college game worked. God provided several scholarships
that got me through community college. Then, I felt called to go to the University
of Alaska in Fairbanks and serve as a student missionary. While we had zero
funds to make this happen, God laid it on the heart of one of my aunts to pay
for this endeavor. Off to Alaska I went, eventually returning home and graduating
from University of Houston – Victoria.
Through my seminary years, not once did I have the tuition
to for the semester in the bank. However, Kimberly’s job, somehow, seemed to
give a bonus every time tuition was due. The only time I ever took off from seminary
was a one-year period that I took off due to burnout. After that year, when I
was ready to return, the money was there again.
I could tell you more stories about my adulthood, but you
get the idea. This morning, as I was doing my devotional, I read a story in
Matthew 16 about Jesus and the Disciples. Jesus was warning them about the “leaven
of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (v. 6). The Disciples completely misunderstood
Jesus and thought that He was fussing at them for not bringing bread. Jesus responds
in verses 8-11 by saying, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among
yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not
remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you
gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you
gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread?
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
May I encourage you this day, remember what God has done in
the past and know this: He will do it again. God has never forsaken us, nor
will He. Look at His fingerprints in your life and take hope, God is faithful.
Honored to be your pastor,
Darrell
