Deuteronomy 8:3 “So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”
Dear God,
Fill my mind and heart with true words of thanks and praise, for You alone are good, and love and care for me, and each one of us. More than that You created and create all things and because of that we are precious to You, even though we are as tiny specks in the universe. Also only You know the end from the beginning and everything that ever was and ever will be. You have each person in your vision, even when they are allowed to die.
When someone who is a friend and close to me in age, and they die, not only do I miss them, but I realize what the years have wrought, forming a steady progression toward my own death. This is sobering! Many of my friends, family members and I, have our hope, fastened upon Jesus and in the knowledge that He comes again, to take His own dear children home to heaven, and death is just a sleep; before Jesus as the life giving Creator, calls me (us) to new life, with a new body. Our friends and loved ones are not gone for ever, and with our loved ones and those we know, heaven will be sweet.
Thank You for reminding me God, that as the Children of Israel depended upon You for every mouthful in the wilderness, so do I during my lifetime. You keep me alive and have a plan for my life. As it was wrong for the people in the desert to complain about the manna food, that You sent them, that kept them alive and healthy, so it is wrong for me to complain about Your plans, my circumstances and Your provision for me.
I rejoice that I have a provision of the simple foods you provide, remembering that when You gave the Children of Israel the flesh food they whined for; many of them died. Not from eating the food so much, but from their sinful ungrateful, rebellion toward You, as their God, Creator and Provider of all. However it is interesting to note, that excessive eating of flesh food is very unhealthful, and for me as a total plant based vegetarian, very unattractive as a food source, and I am grateful that I have access to many luscious plant based foods.
In the strength of the Holy Spirit I can and desire to love and serve You truly and obediently, today and all days.
Amen