"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" (Ps. 145:15-16).
One of the most pervasive lies of our age is the illusion of autonomy -that we are laws unto ourselves. The truth is that we are creatures whose lives are limited by birth and death. We're not self-created. We can't subsist on our own. We're reminded of this every time we sit down to eat. Without food and drink, we'd die quickly.
The Lord gives these bountiful gifts of daily bread to all people, even to the ungodly who refuse to recognize Him as their Creator and Savior. But Christians know the truth: that God is the source of all good things, and our lives are dependent on Him. We look to Him, confident that from His open hand, we will receive all that we need for body and life.
For a long time, Christians have used this devotional text to bless God at mealtime. Far from being an empty routine, pausing to bless God for His provisions honors Him as the Heavenly Father that He is. The psalmist reminds us that we don't live our lives by our own resources or energies, but by His generosity.
-Dale
