.THE LORD PROVIDES.

Welcome back to SEVENS, a once-monthly devotional thought designed to help us think about God and DO something about it. This month...

.THE LORD PROVIDES.

Deuteronomy 8 begins:

1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.

The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt. God delivered them from that slavery. Yet even as they traveled from slavery to the promised land, they grumbled about it. They even wished they were back in Egypt. So on the way to their destination, He caused them to wander through the wilderness for 40 years. Forty years!

But even God's punishment came laced with blessings. He provided for them everything they needed. Their food, their water, their protection from the elements, their direction... they couldn't get any of it anywhere else but FROM GOD HIMSELF!

The Israelites needed to be reminded that God had provided for them. They also needed to be reminded that they should return the favor by living by His commands. And we would do well to remember the same: God provides, protects and guides. Just look around and see all that He has done.

I want to show you something...

I got these shoes on the day of my wedding - in October of the year 2000. And they were already used when I got them. I've worn them every Sunday since, and on countless other occasions when I needed something nicer than tennis shoes. But through all this time, they haven't worn out. I've taken to calling them my "wilderness shoes" because they constantly remind me of those verses in Deuteronomy. As I get ready each Sunday morning for worship, for teaching, for fellowship... they remind me of one simple truth.

The Lord provides.

Tomorrow we gather for the very first time to worship at our new location: 321 Log Cabin Road! Some have drawn parallels between this relocation and the stories of the Exodus to the promised land. It's certain that God has provided for us, and has guided us, over the last few years. He has led us to move to a new place.

I'm guessing it's about time to get some new shoes. But I'm glad to see God's blessings all throughout my life. As I type this, my wife is singing bedtime prayers with my two beautiful children. They are blessings, indeed! Tomorrow, I will teach the Word to middle school students. Blessings! I have a warm bed and toilets that work and two cars and I can read and I have a nice office with a brand new love seat… and… well, the blessings are everywhere!

May such commonplace things as these remind you of God's love for you. In fact, that's what this month's project is. Go on and comment below about something that reminds you of God's provision, protection, guidance… and His love.

Aaron