Groceries From Jesus

I began trusting in Jesus Christ as a child.  When I look back on my childhood, I can see how God worked to provide, protect, and bless our family.  My faith was not primarily built in a church classroom, but at home by parents who were faithful in trusting God and leading us kids to do the same.

By worldly standards we were not rich by any means, but our home was rich in love and faith in Christ.  I never felt poor or deprived in any way, though money was tight.  God always provided for our needs.  When family, friends, or even total strangers needed a place to stay, my parents opened our home to visitors who stayed for years.  During one of these seasons, we had a family of four staying with us.  I remember having two bunkbeds side by side with a roll out mattress in between.  Construction work had taken a big downturn in the 80's, and my dad worked hard to support his family and guests.  We had to put the dresser in the closet because the room was full of beds!

Years later I was told the whole story of what became a defining moment of God's faithfulness in my life.  My mum opened the cupboards one afternoon and came to the startling discovery there was no food on hand for dinner.  She talked with the other mum and prayed for God to provide for us.  As hungry people do, they started talking about the things they would love to eat.  One suggested a spot of tea would be wonderful.  The day continued on, and nothing was said about dinner.

I was in the kitchen about an hour later when I heard a knock at the door.  I can't recall who opened the door and greeted the two smiling African American women at the door, but I remember vividly I had never seen them before.  They held in their arms brown paper grocery bags.  One of the women said through a broad smile, "We've got groceries from Jesus!"  And in they came.  I watched as the joyful strangers brought in bag after bag of groceries, placed them on the bench (counter), and left.  We never knew their names, where they came from, or how they could have possibly known our dire need - a need I didn't even know we had!

It was like Christmas when we started taking the food out of the bags.  I remember there was syrup bought from a store, something we never had at that time.  My mum was deeply touched to find in the bounty there was even some tea, a special personal touch from the God who loved us so much.  I have always been thankful to those beautiful women I never had an opportunity to thank or express how important their generous gifts were to us.  I have thanked and been profusely grateful to God who loves us, hears prayers, and answers miraculously right on time.  The same Jesus who healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, cleansed lepers, and fed 5,000 men plus women and children with five loaves and two fish, sent me groceries when I was hungry.  He has refreshed my soul when I have been weary, swallowed up my fears with His love, and proved Himself faithful without fail.

Jesus willingly went to the cross, died, and rose from the dead to make a way for sinners to be saved.  He is alive today.  He has done much more for you than giving you a meal but has provided Himself as Living Bread from heaven.  All who trust Him will be forgiven and have everlasting life.  Do you know Him?  I find it fitting to close with John's remarks in John 20:30-31:  "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."