Manchaca UMC

Lesson 4: God gives us just enough. 

My first funeral that I ever officiated took place in a funeral home. The podium was under a set of pink lights. Those lights combined with my contact lens to make the pages of my worship book and Bible appear blank to me. So, I had to do everything from memory. After it was over, one woman said to me, “That was the most interesting rendition of the 23rd Psalm!” I had butchered it completely. Through the years I have butchered it in another way. I always interpreted the “green pastures” of 23:5 as fields of alfalfa where the sheep had more than enough to eat. On my first trip to Israel’s wilderness I learned that “green pastures” actually refers to tiny tufts of grass which spring up in the early morning dew. Those sheep were only getting one mouthful- not a bellyful! I can understand that when I consider the topography of the Holy Land. It is mostly rocky wilderness without large lush fields of green grass.

It also makes sense biblically as well. Remember that God only gave them enough manna for the day in Exodus and that Jesus told us to pray for “our daily bread.” In the wilderness God gives us just enough to get through the day.

This reality teaches me to trust God each day. Since I can’t stockpile resources, I have to trust God to show me the next day’s bread when that day arrives. However, this trust helps me to just enjoy the present mouthful and not worry. The ancient rabbis called worry, “focusing on tomorrow’s pastures today.” I know the pandemic and resultant lockdown make each day seem like “groundhog day,” but green pastures teaches us to chew this day’s activities slowly and with enjoyment.

This wilderness lesson also teaches me to practice contentment. The ancient rabbis noted that the truly rich person is one who is content with what they have. God provides for us so that we don’t have to anxiously look around for the next pasture.

Finally, it seemed that the sheep I saw on the wilderness hillside in Israel were satisfied to chew their mouthful. They were not anxiously looking around. They knew instinctively the great lesson of the wilderness: focus on the shepherd and not on the next hillside. The shepherd will lead you to the resources you need. The Lord is my Shepherd.

~David