The Provider

Psalm 37:16-24

English Standard Version (ESV)

^16 (A)Better is the little that the righteous has
    than the abundance of many wicked.
¹⁷ For ^(B)the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
    but the Lord ^(C)upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The Lord ^(D)knows the days of the blameless,
    and their ^(E)heritage will remain forever;
¹⁹ they are not put to shame in evil times;
    in ^(F)the days of famine they have abundance.

²⁰ But the wicked will perish;
    the enemies of the Lord are like ^(G)the glory of the pastures;
    they vanish—like ^(H)smoke they vanish away.

²¹ The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
    but the righteous ^(I)is generous and gives;
²² for those blessed by the Lord^[a] shall ^(J)inherit the land,
    but those cursed by him ^(K)shall be cut off.

²³ The ^(L)steps of a man are ^(M)established by the Lord,
    when he delights in his way;
^24 (N)though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
    for the Lord ^(O)upholds his hand.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2037:%2016-24&version=ESV)

God’s Word never ceases to amaze me.  His amazing love and His patience with me is beyond description.  As I read these verses today, I suddenly became aware of how thankful I should be to Him.  Whether we can see it or not, these verses are so true. 

This is my evidence of the truth that I read in these verses:

I have worked hard all of my life and have always tried the best that I could be.  I was the student that sat on the front row or nearby.  I was the one that went above and beyond on the project to make it all that it could be.  Maybe not always making straight A’s but when I came out of a class I had learned all that I could possibly learn because I strived to do well, except maybe in Trig in which I came out with an “A” but have no idea how!  Anyway, I was also the employee that when given a task I did my best to fulfill that task to the best of my abilities.  I always had glowing evaluations without a doubt and quickly rose to the highest pay scale I could obtain in the teaching field because of graduate work and experience.   I did not do any of that on my own!  Even so, I found myself on the unemployment list, a very painful experience and one that I will never quite understand.

Through all of that turmoil, God has provided for us.  Even though I wanted to be on the top of the pay scale, which I worked hard for, I found myself lower than the lowest but through it all God provided.  He took care of my husband and I even though our income was drastically cut.  When I was working at a higher rate of pay we seemed to have less than we have now.  How does that work?  You can try to reason it out that we don’t eat out as much and have budgeted our money better but that does not really seem to account for all of it.  We did not sit down and plan out a budget and pay strict attention to it.  We simply lived our lives.

The answer, “Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of the wicked!”   The Lord knows our pain, He knows our needs, He knows that the righteous will win in the end.  Look at this one, “in the days of famine they have abundance.”  Wow, we have abundance even though our income has been cut! 

I have been blessed by the Lord, I will not be cut off but the wicked will be.  The last verse of this passage sums it all up; my steps are established by the Lord.  How can I go wrong when the Lord establishes my way?  I have fallen but I won’t continue to fall because the Lord has a hold of me.  How could I have pain when I know He has me?

Many people have told me that the Lord has something really special for me.  Each day I have waited for that one special phone call that will be the job that I so desire but today, I realize that what is special is that He has taken care of us.  Although I have stumbled, He has provided.  Thank you, Father, for your care.   

As you seek Him may you truly find Him, just as I did today, taking care of the righteous whom He calls His children.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila