"A daily portion is really all we need. We do not need tomorrow's supply, for that day has not yet dawned, and its needs are still unborn." - Charles Spurgeon

November 18th, 2024

📍San Miguel de Allende, GTO, Mexico 🇲🇽

¡Saludos desde el desierto!

A consistent thread of this season of life is my learning to live completely and utterly dependent on God for everything— safety, community, companionship, and provision. The Bible is full of evidence of God's faithful provision to Their beloved people, and this faithful care for us continues today. Sometimes, it's manna from heaven; sometimes, it's a dinner party invite from your Airbnb host.

The Wednesday before moving locations from a farm in rural SMA to a location closer to El Centro, I had cooked a yummy chicken mole and left it on the counter to cool before putting it into the fridge. I woke up early Thursday morning to realize I had left the chicken out overnight.

Knowing I was going to move locations, I had purposefully eaten through most of my remaining food supplies, and all I had left to sustain me for the next 36 hours were four mandarin oranges, baby carrots, and peanut butter (or pay $50 in taxis to go to the grocery store and back). This was a "loaves and fishes" moment, and as I prayed that morning for God to miraculously multiply my meager supplies, I was preparing to live in fasting mode until I could get moved into my new place and walk to the grocery store.

In the abundant nature of God, I received more than I asked for, and the people in my life were the instruments of my blessing.

Within an hour, I received a text message from my host telling me how much she and my neighbors loved me and would miss me and that they wanted to throw a going-away dinner party for me that evening. More than that, one of my neighbors insisted that I let them help me move to my new location and grocery shop, saving me multiple trips and lots of cab fare in the process.

Somehow, I instinctively knew God would provide for me, and worrying about not having enough food or stressing my heart and finances to buy a day's worth of food would not serve me. I needed to trust God that what I had was already enough or that They would miraculously provide more. I didn't know how this would turn out; I just knew I needed more trust than fear of scarcity.

With this evidence of God's provision, my heart was filled with awe and gratitude for the mysteries of God's ways. As Brian & Candice Simmons say in their book, The Wilderness: Where Miracles Are Born:

Mystery feeds us. It should be a daily part of life. Western Christians demand answers; God simply wants to feed us out of a realm of not knowing, a realm where there are no answers, only satisfaction. Every encounter with God in our wilderness should leave us in the place of awe, not answers."

The Israelites were taught this truth in their wilderness wanderings as manna fell with the dew of the morning (Numbers 11:9). Every morning, the people gathered their daily supply of manna. (Exodus 16:21).

It's important to note that God instructed them to collect the manna in the morning before other things filled their attention. If anyone waited too long, the heat of the day would cause the manna to melt away.

Like the manna from heaven, Proverbs 8:34 tells us that our daily portion of Christ waits for us with every sunrise. Blessed are those who seek Him early.

As Brian & Candice Simmons go on to say:

To seek Jesus in the early morning yields sweetness to our souls. For our Lord Jesus is anointed with the Holy Spirit without measure. Just as the manna fell very early each morning, so our soul should ache for Him to come to us each and every day as we arise and awaken our soul to feast upon Him. The refreshing "dew of the morning" is waiting for you to bring you strength. Jesus is ever fresh and ever new to the heart who feeds on Him. Nothing stale, outdated, or moldy. What a joy each day to feed upon this "daily bread." Christ's anointed Word is new for us every day and never fails or runs dry (Lamentations 3:22–23).

May your soul ache to be filled with Jesus today and always. May God demonstrate Their abundant love and provision for you so miraculously that you, too, fall on your knees in awe and worship.

With love,

Jennifer

Reflection Question: When faced with scarcity or uncertainty, what practices or prayers help you move from fear to trust? How might you cultivate this shift in your current season?

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