"Raining down Manna or Chicken?"

"Mommy isn't it cool that God just dropped down the manna when the children of Israel needed it? I wish God would rain down chicken. I would love to walk out my front door every morning and find that God had rained down chicken. Especially if it were fried chicken legs." I love six year olds. They are so literal. They take God at His word. Joshua had heard the story before about God's provision of manna for the children of Israel. Joshua believes that God is the same God today that He was then. He really believes that if he asked God to rain down fried chicken that He would do it. What an encouragement to me to remember that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. If He so desired He could rain down fried chicken. I was able to explain to Joshua that this was a matter of God's provision. He had called the Israelites to live lives of obedience and total dependence on Him and His provision. I was able to share with Joshua that God is still the same God and that He provides for us with the same provision. I have recently struggled with this. A few months back Matt and I were having a financial discussion. I was sharing my heart with my husband and asking Him that if God is Jehovah Jireh our provider and since we trust Him to do all things then why does Matt have to work so hard. I was not questioning God's provision in our lives, but just experiencing a moment of fleshly thinking and maybe a little pity party. My husband had the best reply..."He is Jehovah Jireh our provider, but you are looking at His provision all wrong. He is providing, but right now He is providing strength and energy and the rest I need to accomplish all the things in my life that He has called me to. He is providing, but just not in the way you are thinking. People often think Jehovah Jireh our provider means He will provide financially, but that is not always His plan for accomplishing His purpose. Continue to thank Him for being our provider, but trust His hand of provision in our life." I had never thought about it that way. The children of Israel needed nourishment and God sent them manna. He could have conquered the city by tearing down the walls Himself and He could have done it quickly, but would that have accomplished His purposes in their lives? God was using that time in their lives to build their character, to increase their trust in Him, to encourage hearts of contentment and to conform them into His image. He provided what they needed when they needed it. And now who receives the Glory? We remember that God provided the manna. Joshua stands in awe of the fact that God rained down manna. How cool is that?...You walk out your front door and dinner is waiting. God was glorified. He was their all sufficient King, He was their provider!! And He is the same yesterday, today and forever!!! To God Be The Glory!!! My friends, trust His provision in your life. Trust that He is God and He knows what we need more than we do. Joshua's final reply to our discussion was, "We always do things God's way, because God's way ALWAYS works." Amen