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He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

Where does the bread on your table come from? Ask a child and they’ll tell you that Mom or Dad bought it at the grocery store, but how did it get there? Someone had to grow it. Someone had to take the crops to be turned into flour. Someone had to bake the bread. Someone had to haul that bread to the store. Someone had to put that bread on the shelves at the store. Parents had to earn money to buy that bread for their family. All kinds of people had a hand in providing you with bread, but where does food ultimately come from?

We could ask similar questions such as: Where does medical care come from? Where do the clothes on our backs, the roof over our heads, the beds where we sleep, the cars that we drive, the technology that we use, and so much more come from?

It’s tempting to think that it all comes from us. We earn the money. We provide for ourselves and our families. We get the care we need, the food we enjoy, the items we purchase out of need, or because we want them. Yet we are not the ultimate source of what we have.

No, the Psalmist points us to the Lord of grace. From him comes all creation, and he provides for our most basic needs. Yet the Lord does so much more. He knows what each of us needs. He knows what’s going on in our lives. He knows what troubles us, and he takes care of us. The Lord watches over us and delivers us not only from the troubles of this life, but for all eternity by saving us from sin and death. What else can we say than “Praise the Lord!”

O Lord of grace, I look to you and you sustain me. Shower your love upon me every day. Amen.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.