Have you ever felt a craving for food, but you just could not figure out what you wanted? When I was pregnant with each of my four children, I had this predicament. It was always something different and it always seemed counterintuitive because it was often accompanied by nausea. I remember with my last child, Noah, smelling fruit at the grocery store and trying to figure out what I wanted. It turned out what I was craving was fresh pineapple; the canned stuff was not good enough. Apparently, the nutrient I and he needed could only be obtained in the fresh fruit.
“Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not”
Numbers 14:9
This scripture is taken from the story of the children of Israel coming into the promise land. As you might remember, Moses sent twelve men to spy out the land. Although the land was flowing with milk and honey and very prosperous, ten of the spies said that there were giants in the land and that the people would look like grasshoppers to them. They did not think it was a good idea to take the land. Only two spies, Joshua and Caleb, said Israel should step into God’s promise and take the land. They too saw the giants, but they just were not impressed with them. They said the giants were “bread for” them.
These past few years, fear has certainly been the dominant topic in our country and in the world. For those of this world, fear is all they have. But we are not of this world. We are of God and we should not be controlled by fear like the rest of our unsaved neighbors. While we may not have physical giants to battle, the things we are tempted to fear, are our giants. It is often said that when the size of our problems get so big we live in fear, it is because we have lost sight of the size of our Lord.
The above verse takes it one step further – our giants are actually bread for us. I submit that our spirits need nourishment too and there are certain “spiritual nutrients” that we are craving and can only obtain by holding onto God’s promises and conquering those giants. In Matthew 6:11, it says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” and in Psalm 23 it says God prepares “a table before us in the presence of our enemies.”
My friend, are you tempted to fear and act like an orphan without a heavenly Daddy who cares for you? Then reacquaint yourself with our Lord’s promises. Let them feed your Spirit as you see him faithful to provide for you. If you fear disease, know he has “delivered you from the noisome pestilence” (Psalm 91:3) and “by his stripes you were healed” (Isaiah 53:5). If you fear lack because of inflation, know “that my God shall supply all my need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) and that “I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). If you fear for you or your family’s safety because of crime or a breakdown in law enforcement know that though “a thousand fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, it will not come nigh you.
Only with your eyes shall you behold and see the reward of the wicked” (Psalm 91:7-8) and that the “angel of the Lord encamps around them that fear him and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7).
Bon appetit!
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