“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging for bread.” Psalm 37:25

Since the early days of my Salvation, I could remember Christians quoting this very scripture. They would share stories about the faithfulness of God and how He saw them through their difficult times. The testimonies were about the miraculous way that God would stretch their food or how they found groceries on their doorstep, even people giving them money not knowing they were in need!  

I too have testimonies of times when God met our needs. We had just started the church in our home. My son Art needed tennis shoes, so I went to God in prayer. In our very next service, someone put a check in the offering designated “for pastor.” There were also other times when people would stop by our house and bring us meat packs. God was faithful to make sure we were taken care of!

Later, we started a food pantry in the church to help our families who were in need. This was also a difficult season for the church because we had just returned from England and were getting readjusted. Little did we know, we would be the first recipients to receive a box full of canned goods. It was a very humbling experience…. After all, we were the pastors and use to being the ones giving to others! I remember the Lord speaking to my heart and telling me, “it was good for me to experience being on the receiving end.” This humbling experience allowed me to feel what others feel and it also gave me a greater compassion for people. God has truly been a good and faithful Father and has sustained me throughout all the years!

We can be bitter or we can be better through the things we go through in this life. A great example is God’s very own people.

Exodus 16:11-12, 32-36 CEV
The Lord said to Moses, “I have heard my people complain. Now tell them that each evening they will have meat and each morning they will have more than enough bread. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.”  

Moses told the people that the Lord had said, “Store up two quarts of this manna, because I want future generations to see the food I gave you during the time you were in the desert after I rescued you from Egypt.” 

Then Moses told Aaron, “Put some manna in a jar and store it in the place of worship for future generations to see.” Aaron followed the Lord’s instructions and put the manna in front of the sacred chest for safekeeping. The Israelites ate manna for forty years, before they came to the border of Canaan that was a settled land.

The bottom line is I’ve been around for a while and have seen and experienced a lot! But in all my years of serving God, He has been faithful to His people and to His Word!

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging for bread.” Psalm 37:25