“God’s Never Let Me Go Hungry.”

I saw her today.

There is a sweet lady in our city who rides a bike. I mean, you’d never see her without this little bike of hers. You’ve probably seen her if you’ve lived in my city awhile and spent any considerable amount of time downtown. You can’t miss her. Or maybe you have missed her. If you don’t look up and pay attention from time to time. If you stop to meet her, her joy is contagious, and kindness as well. She has silvery hair that speaks of wisdom and suffering, and a tiny frame encased in tanned and sun-rugged skin, somehow carrying life and energy. She doesn’t have much, but she has her bike. That’s what I know.

Today, she was out walking her bike.

Earlier that morning, I had spent some time worrying about money. You know, the bills and things that we have to pay. HAVE to pay. Obligations. Things that we don’t get to choose to pay…it’s more like they choose us. And we can’t say no.

I was thinking about these kinds of things as I crossed the street on my lunch break.

We were crossing the street at the same time, and I fell in step with her. It’s pretty cold out in Columbus, Ga, as we leave False Spring and head into Second Winter. You know if you know. It was kind of rainy too. We got to chatting about such things.

“How are you today?” I asked her.

“I am good. My friend over here usually gets me a slice of pizza. You know, God’s never let me go hungry. Have a good day sweetie!” she said, rolling her bike away.

I stood there, watching for a moment.

God’s never let me go hungry.

I knew she meant it. God has always given her everything she’s needed.

I felt something welling up in my heart. Gratitude, sweet conviction, a sharper awareness of reality.

God’s never let me go hungry either.

Everything I have ever needed, He has provided.

Provider is His name.

Won’t He always remain the same?

He won’t let us go hungry–physically or spiritually. One of the biggest lessons I have learned in this season is Jesus is the Daily Bread. He gives me a word when I am desperate for a word from Him. The situational wilderness doesn’t always change, but I find myself leaning on Him. He sustains us with a word. Psalm 119. The word sustain here also means “to lean.” That’s why, when God sustains us with the Word, the manna of his presence in the wilderness seasons, we will come up leaning on Him.

“Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved?”

-Song of Solomon 8:1