1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to have you 3 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 2: listening with us. Today's topic is about God as our 4 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:23,159 Speaker 2: provider of all that we need. We'll return with the 5 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 2: devotional after a brief message from our sponsors. The Lord 6 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 2: is My Portion written and read by Angela Anderson. One 7 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: of the many things I enjoyed doing with my family 8 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: is going out to eat. Recently, we went to a 9 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 2: local favorite restaurant of ours where the servers knew our 10 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 2: family by name. It was a small, but vibrant eater 11 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 2: where the food was always excellent. We were not only 12 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: known for our frequent visits as a family, but also 13 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 2: for our meal selections, especially the dessert. Once we finished 14 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,479 Speaker 2: our meal, it was a known fact that we would 15 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 2: be ordering this warm, giant size, decadent chocolate fudge brownie 16 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 2: surrounded by scoops of vanilla bean ice cream. The servers 17 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 2: always positioned this delectable dessert in the middle of our 18 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,679 Speaker 2: table and then brought us four long spoons, one for me, 19 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 2: one for my husband, one for my oldest son, and 20 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 2: then one for my youngest son. As soon as that 21 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 2: dish of dessert hit the table, no one had to 22 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 2: tell us to start digging in. It was a race 23 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 2: to the finish. My oldest son seemed to have the 24 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 2: advantage each time, as I observed the large amount of 25 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 2: dessert that he was able to balance on his long spoon. 26 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 2: My youngest son was struggling with maneuvering his spoon to 27 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 2: fit both a piece of brownie and some ice cream 28 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 2: on it. Sometimes he would just get enough dessert on 29 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 2: his spoon, and then the dessert would fall off the 30 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 2: side of his spoon before even leaving the bowl. For 31 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 2: every one spoon of dessert that successfully made it to 32 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: his mouth, his older brother had already eaten about three 33 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 2: spoonsful of dessert. I had to put an end to 34 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 2: this on our next visit. When it was time for dessert, 35 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 2: I requested four small plates, and before anyone can put 36 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 2: a spoon in the bowl of brownie and ice cream, 37 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 2: I divided the dessert, placed it on a separate plate, 38 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 2: and put it in front of each person. Every member 39 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: of my family now had an appropriate portion of dessert 40 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: that was allocated to each of us. When the Bible 41 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 2: says the Lord is my portion, the word portion in 42 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 2: Hebrew carries the notion that something is measured out, allotted 43 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 2: or assigned. It's almost as if there's a gift with 44 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 2: your name on it, because it is specifically set apart 45 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 2: and given to you. In the life of a believer, 46 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 2: there is a dependence on God as the ultimate source 47 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 2: of security and blessing. As our creator and heavenly father, 48 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 2: He knows and understands our every need, and He gives 49 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: each of us exactly what we need when we need it. 50 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 2: He alone determines our portion, whether large or small. It 51 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 2: is perfectly proportioned and just enough for the one who 52 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 2: receives it. It is our duty to celebrate and delight 53 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 2: in the portion God has given. In doing so, we 54 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 2: are honoring the God who gave it. Another connotation of 55 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 2: the word portion in the context of God is divine provision. 56 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 2: There are many people in this world who feel a void, 57 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 2: and they try to fill it with things that still 58 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 2: leave them wanting more. When you believe that God is 59 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 2: your portion, you believe that God is the source of 60 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 2: your strength in every situation. There is contentment in knowing 61 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 2: that God will supply all your needs. Even when there 62 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: seems to be an area of lack. There is a 63 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 2: calm assurance that God will step in and make up 64 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 2: that difference. In response, there is no desire to seek 65 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 2: any possession or comfort outside of God. There is an 66 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 2: unwavering trust that God is in control of all of 67 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 2: your circumstances. There's a realization that nothing is as valuable 68 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 2: as the promises of God. This signifies a close relationship 69 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 2: with the Provider, and his goal is to use life 70 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 2: circum stances to draw you closer. As you learn that 71 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 2: God is your portion, you learn that your need for 72 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:11,239 Speaker 2: Him outweighs your desire for other things. When you need peace, 73 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 2: God is the one who gives you peace. When you 74 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 2: need rest, God alone will extend rest. When you need provision, 75 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 2: God offers provision. He provides for you what no one 76 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 2: else can, and everything he gives to you is a 77 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 2: blessing directly from the throne of Heaven, designed just for you. 78 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 2: The Lord is my Portion is more than a declaration. 79 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 2: It is an affirmation that God, our creator, our provider, 80 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 2: and our sustainer, is more than enough. 81 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 82 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 83 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: take a side to rate and review this podcast in 84 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 85 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled, inspirational podcasts, 86 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.