Beans or Steak?

At the harvest celebration, every Jew was to thank God with a sacrifice according to the blessings He’d been given. God’s Word assumes that every believer would receive a blessing of some sort. At the very least, His people were alive because He provided food for them. Those who didn’t have much more than that would bring a small but heartfelt offering. Others, blessed with physical abundance, brought a generous offering of much greater value.

Our blessings may not be the kind we’d like: We may look for extra money to pay off bills while God sends us spiritual strength. But just as God provided for His Old Testament people even in the years of lean harvests, He provides for us.

We may be eating more beans and rice than steak and lobster, but isn’t the former better for us in the long run? While we’re looking for the good life, God’s looking at what’s good for us. Sometimes that means physical blessing—but other times it’s a spiritual challenge.

No matter what our circumstances, God is blessing us—if we’re following Him with steadfastness. Let’s bless Him in return with our thanksgiving.