Showing posts with label Philippians 4:19. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philippians 4:19. Show all posts

April 28, 2020

In Spite of Our Fears, Spring still arrived _ Bruce Atchison

I see that all the usual events in God's creation have come to pass. The days lengthened and the sun's warmth has melted the snow. The migrating birds returned and all birds are pairing up to start the next generation. They aren't worried about a flu from a distant land and depression-level unemployment.

Though we're bombarded with frightening news, our Lord and Master reminded us of the Father's care in Matthew 6:25 (BBE). "So I say to you, Take no thought for your life, about food or drink, or about clothing for your body. Is not life more than food, and the body more than its clothing?"

Likewise the Apostle Paul knew on whom he depended. That's why he reminded his beloved saints in Philippians 4:19 (BBE) to trust in the Lord, "And my God will give you all you have need of from the wealth of his glory in Christ Jesus."

I know from personal experience that it's easy to quote scriptures but hard to live them. Even so, the author who wrote Hebrews 13:5 (BBE) said, "Be free from the love of money and pleased with the things which you have; for he himself has said, 'I will be with you at all times.'"

Of course some folks can be inconsiderate when parroting Bible passages. A certain church elder angered me whenever she quoted Psalms 37:25 (BBE) at me when I had no money for food. "I have been young, and now am old, but I have not seen the good man without help, or his children looking for bread."

The church I attended also gave me twenty-one-year-old jam and a tin of spinach from 1957. The jam wasn't bad but I refused to eat that spinach, fearing botulism. Even so, I survived.

As a consequence of poor counsel, God seemed stingy to me. Nobody back in the seventies taught me about the Father's sovereignty and providential provision for his children. That errant congregation treated the Father like a vending machine which used faith as its coinage.

I know better now and I praise God for whatever happens. I know it's for his glory and the strengthening of my trust in him.