Psalm 145:14-16

Psalm 145:14-16

Thoughts from Stuart Poteet

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Swipe to read today’s written devo!

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The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Psalm 145:14-16

FOF- Behind the Scenes
Slide

God as our provider is something many of us acknowledge from time to time. However, this picture is more definitive when we see Him as the perfect Father, the first person of the Godhead. Jesus shows us in the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) the holiness, the authority, the provision, and the mercy of our Heavenly Father. “Give us this day our daily bread” is a well-known section of that prayer and coupled with the portion of our verse today “you give them their food in due season” demonstrates a Father who provides in the day-to-day and in seasons of want or need. In essence, we have a Father who is concerned with and desires for all to come to Him for sustenance.

Slide

The mercy and grace of a loving Creator is illustrated in that even people far from Him reap the benefits of His provision, “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). God’s benevolence should be recognized by all.

Slide

Psalm 145 testifies to a Father that concerns Himself with the brokenness and neediness of man and His Creation. The imagery of God upholding, raising up, and opening His hands is powerful because God is doing the heavy action, not us. When we fall, He picks us up. When we bow down, He raises us up. This Father we praise, and worship, does not just stand back and watch the world crumble but can and does step in and intercede as a demonstration of His perfect and loving will.

Slide

And the Father gives good gifts! Matthew 7:11 says “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” We want to prove our affection and love for our children by giving them things and providing for them, but it is nothing compared to the gifts the Father gives. We simply and humbly must ask.

Slide

Humility in the asking acknowledges our inability to accomplish anything of eternal significance without God. Luke 11:13 is a complementary verse to Matthew 7:11 with Jesus stating that the good gift from the heavenly Father is the Holy Spirit! The Trinity is clearly indicated here: the Son pointing man back to the Father, the Father providing for man, and the Holy Spirit as the ultimate provision for man.

FOF- Make it Real
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God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that man needed more than just food for daily living. He does provide this, but perishable food is only good for the perishable man. Spiritual, unperishable food provides for those who follow Him because it lasts an eternity.

Slide

This morning as I write, I ask myself “Do I believe that God will provide?” Looking at my past, I would say there have been times I have doubted God. The results are anxiety, worry, and exhaustion as I tried to be a father and provider for my family, not only physically but spiritually.

Slide

Make no mistake, we are to work hard to provide for those under our care, but misguided motivation can damage those relationships and our relationship with God. We try to assume the role that only God can do. We become ungrateful and fight generosity.

Slide

So, join with me in prayer today to ask for softening in our hearts, to bow before Him who can and wants to give us good gifts and to respond with openhandedness and thanksgiving. Have a wonderful day!

FOF- End in Prayer
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Dear Heavenly Father,

Show me all the wonderful ways you have blessed me. Continually remind me of your mercy and compassion towards me. May my doubts turn to trust and may my pride turn to humility. The gift of your Son, Jesus, is precious to me. It is the beginning and the end of all your goodness made available to me. In His beautiful and powerful Name, I pray. Amen.

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The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.  

Psalm 145:14-16

Behind the Scenes

God as our provider is something many of us acknowledge from time to time. However, this picture is more definitive when we see Him as the perfect Father, the first person of the Godhead. Jesus shows us in the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) the holiness, the authority, the provision, and the mercy of our Heavenly Father. “Give us this day our daily bread” is a well-known section of that prayer and coupled with the portion of our verse today “you give them their food in due season” demonstrates a Father who provides in the day-to-day and in seasons of want or need. In essence, we have a Father who is concerned with and desires for all to come to Him for sustenance. 

The mercy and grace of a loving Creator is illustrated in that even people far from Him reap the benefits of His provision, “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). God’s benevolence should be recognized by all. 

Psalm 145 testifies to a Father that concerns Himself with the brokenness and neediness of man and His Creation. The imagery of God upholding, raising up, and opening His hands is powerful because God is doing the heavy action, not us. When we fall, He picks us up. When we bow down, He raises us up. This Father we praise, and worship, does not just stand back and watch the world crumble but can and does step in and intercede as a demonstration of His perfect and loving will. 

And the Father gives good gifts! Matthew 7:11 says “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” We want to prove our affection and love for our children by giving them things and providing for them, but it is nothing compared to the gifts the Father gives. We simply and humbly must ask.  

Humility in the asking acknowledges our inability to accomplish anything of eternal significance without God. Luke 11:13 is a complementary verse to Matthew 7:11 with Jesus stating that the good gift from the heavenly Father is the Holy Spirit! The Trinity is clearly indicated here: the Son pointing man back to the Father, the Father providing for man, and the Holy Spirit as the ultimate provision for man. 

Make It Real

God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that man needed more than just food for daily living. He does provide this, but perishable food is only good for the perishable man. Spiritual, unperishable food provides for those who follow Him because it lasts an eternity. 

This morning as I write, I ask myself “Do I believe that God will provide?” Looking at my past, I would say there have been times I have doubted God. The results are anxiety, worry, and exhaustion as I tried to be a father and provider for my family, not only physically but spiritually. 

Make no mistake, we are to work hard to provide for those under our care, but misguided motivation can damage those relationships and our relationship with God. We try to assume the role that only God can do. We become ungrateful and fight generosity.  

So, join with me in prayer today to ask for softening in our hearts, to bow before Him who can and wants to give us good gifts and to respond with openhandedness and thanksgiving. Have a wonderful day! 

Danny Venhaus

Danny Venhaus

ACF Operations Director

End in Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,  

Show me all the wonderful ways you have blessed me. Continually remind me of your mercy and compassion towards me. May my doubts turn to trust and may my pride turn to humility. The gift of your Son, Jesus, is precious to me. It is the beginning and the end of all your goodness made available to me. In His beautiful and powerful Name, I pray. Amen. 

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