| Isaiah 53:11 – “And the Lord will continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places and give strength to your bones. And you will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.” |
My mother was born in 1931, in the middle of the Great Depression. She told me many stories about their difficulties during that time, but none was harder than when her mother was diagnosed with tuberculosis and sent away to a sanitorium for several years. My grandfather was without a steady job and was now faced with raising a young child alone. My mother was sent to live with her grandmother, and grandpa went from town to town looking for work. Even once my grandmother recovered and returned home, times were tough and there was the nagging worry of where their next meal would come from. Work was scarce, money was limited, and fears about the future were real.
My parents were married in the early 50’s, and throughout their time together there were lean times and times of ‘enough.’ Both were very hard workers, always trying to provide for their growing family. But my mom never totally relaxed. She lived to the age of 91, and I’m not sure she ever really lost that fear of food insecurity.
In the verses above, we are told that God will provide for us and give us strength even when times are tough – we just need to trust him. Instead of the parched dust bowl of the 30’s, he wants our lives to be like a lush garden with running waters nearby. He wants to save us from the heat and despair of the scorched countryside and deliver us to lands of plenty,
Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for your provisions for me. Whether in times of plenty or times of need, I know I can trust you to provide for me and help me through the tough times. Amen.
– Betty Gossell
