The grass was eagerly accepting the gift of the sunlight soaking up all it offered. Two bunnies emerged from their shelter somewhere nearby to feast upon the greenery of our front yard. I have been watching these bunnies come out to eat ever since the blanket of winter had withdrawn.
The bunnies hopped about, pausing here and there to make sure they were safe, grazing on the provision set before them this day as was each and every day. On a day like that, it is easy to acknowledge that provision but in the winter months provision appears to be non existent, yet somehow they survive and are cared for. They move about as if there was nothing strange or unique about today and what has been provided for them. They don't hurry about trying to collect all they can. They don't build storage facilities to save it up "in case" something stops the provision from being there the next morning. They don't seem to be the least bit "worried." They grow and get larger and show up every morning. There are hundreds of yards around to choose from but they almost seem content to feast in our yard. Not only are there hundreds of yards to feast in but there are millions and millions of yards and forests to which they could chase after in an effort to get the largest and finest of yards. They seem confident that their creator will be faithful in His provision.
I believe we can have the same confidence in the Lord's provision for us. We used to live a life filled with nearly everything and anything we wanted. Years ago, that lifestyle left us and now we live quite modestly. Modest for America, but like royalty to others much less fortunate. In ridiculous situations, the Lord has kept us sheltered and fed. We have never truly been without. We don't "own"much of anything anymore, nor do we dream a lot about "owning" the glorious things we used to. Like the bunnies, we seem to be fairly content with what we have. We still dream to some degree, but all in all, we are okay, even blessed.
Considering the rabbits, one can see our needs are provided. There have been many times we have no idea how we were provided for but somehow it has been done. God is good and faithful in our needs. We can easily trust and rely on Him to watch over us and provide for us.
With that base line drawn, I look to the past a bit. I look to when I wanted this and that. I look back to when I "just had to have this or that." I look back to when I would borrow money (via the good old credit card) to get what I could not live without. How many of us would do nearly anything to get what fills our hearts with desire? It is not the desire to have our needs met that drive us and get us into trouble, but our greeds! We get greedy. We aren't happy with only having our needs met, we also want our greeds met and we are willing to make big trades and sacrifices to get them.
I am talking about choices here. Are we willing to trade time with our wife, husband, or kids to "get" that next thing? Are we willing to trade peace for the frustration and anxiety of chasing a corner office? Are we really trading up or are we making a bad trade? Are we giving away our time for things that aren't truly worth the trade? If we are honest, everything we want new, everything we want to replace with the newest and greatest was once that new thing! How crazy is that? We are on this constant ferris wheel of having and getting the newer, bigger, or better thing. Sometimes our life is rocked, sometimes we are turned upside down and can't see life for what it is in our pursuit for the thing.
Today might be a good time to stop and look at what we value and what we treasure. is our marriage taking a beating because we are neglecting our family to get that new thing? Are we choosing wisely or are we making horrible trades? Statistics prove one of the most common reasons for failed marriages are financial issues. Seems like an easy choice to choose the one you promised to live for always over old , nasty, wrinkled, green paper.
If we look at things honestly is it better to invest in our loved ones or to invest in the new things that will soon be an old thing and a thing that we just "have to" replace?
Let's be happy with our needs being met and learn to control our greeds or at least learn to tell the difference so we can choose wisely. The bunnies seem to have figured it out and they live a peaceful, stress-free life. Maybe we can learn soemthing from them.