Letter To Our Children
by Pastor Joe | December 14, 2022 | Letters To Our Children

December 14, 2022
(God) gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
(God) gives food to the Hungry.
The eyes of all look to You,
and You give them their food at the proper time.
You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Hello Friends!
Everything we have ever eaten or will eat is a gift from God. This past Monday, December 12th, National Gingerbread House Day—reminded me of this truth again. Here is why.
Each year when our children were still home, we made, from scratch, gingerbread houses at Christmas time. It was so much fun! Some years they were more intricate than others in our design and material. But every year, God provided all we needed to enjoy this family tradition.
Thinking about God’s provision year by year made me want to make a few lists.
My first list was all the places our food comes from, such as farms, fields, lakes, rivers, streams, caves, underground, sky, animals, and the ocean. Psalm 147:9 and Psalm 104:14-15 tells us all this is empowered, orchestrated, and therefore comes from God’s hand. He provides food for the cattle; He makes grass grow for the cattle and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth.
My second list was all the human resources needed to grow, gather, and get the food to places we can purchase it. Farmers farm, fishermen fish, harvesters harvest, and engineers create new techniques and machines or mechanics who fix those machines. There are scientists helping fight disease and pests or assist in irrigation. It was here I remembered the promise God gave to Noah in Genesis 8:22.
As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease.
This scripture reminded me that the rhythms of planting, harvesting, gathering, animals growing, etc., all happen because God wills it. There are ways to explain this naturally. However, the source and reason are always supernatural- God our Father.
My third list was on the supply chain. A very familiar term to people these days. So many are needed to package the food, box it, and store it. Truck drivers, train conductors and crew, ships captains and crew transporting it. Office staff to keep track of the food, grocery stores to sell it, and accountants to receive, count, and disperse money. Think of it; all the people needed to make it, so food is available at the touch of a button or a quick trip to the store. Behind all of it—you guessed it, God our Father.
Worthy are You, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for You created all things,
and by Your will, they existed and were created.
My final list was short. What did I do to deserve this? Nothing. It is only by God’s grace that I can eat. It is a wonder- even down to the body mechanics of humans at work. The resources needed, day by day, year by year, and century by century, so that every day, not some, a few, or even most, but each day we have food available to enjoy. And the source is God our Father, who provides food even to those who never thank Him for their daily bread. He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:35)
When I think about the pictures of all those gingerbread houses, one word comes to mind, Grace, God's grace. Therefore, whether we have our Christmas meal or a snack mid-day- we thank God for the food He provides the world.
God bless you this week in all things, great and small. I hope you enjoy some great meals this week.
Pastor Joe
P.S. Here is a video of my favorite candy bar, Snickers, being made, and another on how oranges and grapefruit are processed. Please ask your parents if you can view these videos. Thank you!