Did you know that the average American consumes 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day? Ugh, it doesn’t sound so great when you look at it that way. 72 million turkeys are eaten in America between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year.  Poor turkeys! After I ate so much last Thursday, I will not want any more turkey for a while, at least until Christmas. Like my husband says after a big meal, we needed to find a mud hole to “wallow” in.  It’s really a shame, isn’t it?  Being full doesn’t stop us either, unfortunately, many of us eat ourselves to total discomfort.  Why is that?  Could it be that we’re seeking food to satisfy a deeper need—that to have our souls filled?

There is a story that is told of a young woman who wanted very much to visit her family in England.  She saved and saved until she finally had enough money for passage on a ship leaving from New York.  She took food with her to eat on the trip across the ocean.  The first few days were fine, but as she reached the end of her journey all she had left to eat were crackers at every meal.  She was so glad to finally land and she told her family she could hardly wait for a real meal.  When they discovered what she meant, they asked if she was aware that her meals had been included with the price of her ticket.

While this story might bring a smile, isn’t that just the way we travel through life?  In the hard times, do we fully feast on the bountiful provisions that God has made for us?  Or do we just nibble on the crumbs that we brought along, leaving us hungry and unsatisfied?  We pray and we ask God to help us in our trials, but do we really believe that God’s bounty is enough to supply what we need when He answers those prayers?

Psalm 37:3 says, Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.  Let’s break that verse down (www.biblos.com).

Trust in the Lord,—Leave all this in His hands, calmly confide in Him and believe that He rules and that what He allows is wisely permitted.

and do good,—True faith is actively obedient.  What better way to forget your troubles than to do something good to help someone in need.

dwell in the land;—abide safely and securely in the land God has provided and partake gratefully from the provisions that God has made for you.

and feed—to feed in a sense of delight as though finding support and sustenance in.

on His faithfulness.—here’s the best part.  The Bible says in Psalm 36:5 that His faithfulness reaches the clouds.  In Psalm 119:90, that it endures to all generations.  In Lamentations 3:23, great is His faithfulness.

He’s not some namby-pamby God who gives us just enough to get us by when we need it.  Our God’s provisions are deep, rich, vast, bountiful, sufficient, and perfect.

He is the Bread of Life…John 6 says this Bread gives life to the World (v.33), that those that come to Him shall never hunger (v.35) and that they will live forever (v.51).  Yet how many times has He brought the feast in my most barren places, when I was starving, and I nibbled just enough to keep me going?

He is Living Water and John 4:13 says, “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord!  Come and quench this thirsting of my soul; Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.  Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!  –Richard Blanshard

Dear Lord: This Thanksgiving and Christmas season, please help me see the bounty of Your love for me.  Thank You that it’s always more than enough.  Lord, let me eat of Your goodness till I’m deeply satisfied, delighted and fulfilled.  Let me drink of Your mercy to overflowing.  Help me to rest deeply in the easy chair of Your grace, not just sit on the edge like I’ve got to get up and do something.  You don’t “need” me to do anything, sometimes You just want to sit with me, ‘sup’ with me and lavish Your King’s riches on my starving, needy heart.  Let me be still and know that You are God!  I want to indulge more heartily in Your provisions, drink deeper, sit longer.  Remind me that there’s no reason to starve at Your banquet table.  Your blessings are a feast and plentiful, pressed down and running over!  Thank You for adopting me and making me Your Princess, who is always welcome at Your table of blessing.  I love You, Father.   Amen

I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendents begging bread. Psalm 37:25 

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! Selah. Psalm 68:19

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost. Please remember to subscribe on the page.   I would love for you to share your experiences, thoughts and comments.  May God bless you and your family with a wonderful Christmas season this year, feeding on the bounty of His wonderful love and provision!