God Will Provide

Matthew 6:30-32
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?"  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

My husband, Danny, retires from work this past August.  Given the health issues he has faced this year (you can read about these beginning here), we both agree it's high time.  Yes, we have both saved and invested over the years, and Danny receives the extra bonuses of a buy-out and unused sick-leave pay when he exits the workplace.  But until his Social Security kicks in this coming February, he is determined to practice frugality when it comes to spending money.

Danny's biggest concern?  Our food budget.  You see, Danny not only shops and cooks for the two of us, but also for my son, Daniel, who is living with us temporarily, and for his mother; we freeze meals for her and carry them to her when we visit.  Our go-to market is the Publix right down the street.  Danny is a savvy shopper, always on the lookout for bargains.  Still, he finds that the items he buys are exceeding the amount of money he's apportioned for the week.

He vents his frustration.  "I plan meals each week, and I try to make things that will stretch.  Still, I'm finding I have to transfer from the cash budget to the food budget every month.  There has got to be some way I can cut down on spending."

Wishing to allay his concerns, I tell him, "Danny, we have more than we need in savings, plenty to get us through and then some until Social Security starts up.  God has provided for us up until now, and He will continue to do so.  Have faith, honey.  He will come through, I just know it!"

Danny listens politely, but I can tell he's wrestling a bit with letting go and letting God.

And then it happens . . .

A postcard arrives announcing the opening of a super-sized Aldi grocery store not four miles from us.  Previously, Danny has been less than enamored by the small Aldis he's visited, but I convince him to give this new one a go on opening day.  "You want to save money, don't you?  What harm can it do to at least check it out?"

Danny acquiesces.  Reluctantly.

But when he returns from his venture, his face exudes a contagious enthusiasm infused with the joy of victory.

"Martha, you won't believe this!  Aldi isn't just bragging about half-off prices, they are for real!  And the meat department is everything I could hope for, and then some.  Oh, and the seafood?  That's great, too.  I'm going through the aisles, comparing prices with Publix, and I can't even begin to calculate how much we can save each month.  This is a God-send!"

I give Danny a big hug and say, "Yes, it is, honey.  Yes, it is."

God provides.

Always.

Amen!