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By Pastor Timothy Fortune 

Columbus First Baptist Church

 

       On my last visit to the grocery store, there were a number of items that were all but completely out of stock. Sports drinks, peanut butter and creamer were scarce, just to name a few. With interruptions in the supply chain resulting in empty store shelves and making certain products unavailable, it seems there are some goods that are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. 

       This brought to mind a couple of questions. Does God run out of stuff? Can humanity upset the supply chain of God? Is it possible to empty heaven’s storehouse? Is God limited?  

       While the supply chain issues we are experiencing may be a cause of concern, the same is not true about God. We only have to survey the Scripture to grasp the greatness of God’s limitless power and see there is no end to His capabilities. 

       After the Children of Israel had been delivered from the mighty hand of Pharaoh and his harsh taskmasters and set out into the wilderness, God provided manna for these Hebrews to eat. Six days a week God caused manna to appear on the ground. Every morning, excluding the Sabbath, for 40 years, God faithfully provided nourishment for the multitude of people. There was no supply line interruption. Also during this time, at a place called Meribah, when the Children of Israel had no water to drink, God, through Moses, brought water from a rock. As the Hebrew people continued to move forward towards the promised Land, God led them by a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. This was God’s GPS system. So, for the Children of Israel, God supernaturally provided food, water and direction!   

       Jumping forward to the time of the Prophet Elijah, we discover more examples of what God can do. During a severe drought and famine, God caused the ravens to bring Elijah bread and meat in the morning and evening. The ravens were God’s food delivery service. And there were no fees or mess-ups with the meals. As the drought lasted, God sent the prophet to Zarephath. There, Elijah stayed at the home of a widow. This woman was in dire straights but from her willingness to help the prophet, God miraculously caused the woman’s bowl of flour and jar of oil to stay full until the drought was over.  

       In the Gospels of Matthew and John, we read what Jesus did with a little boy’s lunch. A large crowd had gathered to listen to Jesus teach until it was evening. The place was desolate and the people needed to eat. The disciples wanted to send the folks away so they could make their way into the villages to get provisions. Jesus told the disciples to feed them. The guys were astonished and Philip even remarked that two hundred denarii would not be enough to buy food so that everyone could have something. A boy had 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Jesus took that box lunch for 1, gave thanks for it and gave it to the disciples to pass out. Everyone ate until they were full and they collected the leftovers, which was 12 baskets full!  

       Towards the beginning of the Lord’s early ministry, Jesus called some people to be His disciples. One of those individuals was Peter the fisherman. Peter had been out fishing all night but caught nothing. Jesus then tells Peter to put his boat out in the deep and cast the net for a catch. Peter is reluctant to do so but finally  obeys. Probably with very little expectation, Peter casts his nets into the water. To his surprise, the nets were full of fish to the point they were beginning to break. At the command of Jesus, fish filled the net! 

       While the world today is experiencing shortages, disruptions in products and services, difficulty in obtaining ingredients and challenges with transportation, the supply lines of heaven are in full operation and running smoothly. There is no running out of God’s grace, mercy, love, forgiveness or compassion. Heaven is stocked with more than enough and God knows how to get you exactly what you need. The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:19, “And My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” 

The supply lines of God are not affected by what is taking place in our world; they are based upon His limitless provisions. Don’t view God through the lens of current affairs. The supply lines of heaven are not disrupted and there are no shortages in God’s kingdom.