I'm Thankful God Provides

Each day until Thanksgiving, Everyday Truth is looking at a different reason to be thankful in a family devotional. Use these devotionals with your kids to help keep your family focused on giving thanks. If you missed the introductory post, check it out here for directions on creating a "Thanksgiving wall." When you're done wiht the devotional head on over to the Everyday Truth Facebook page and join in the discussion of why we're thankful for our families.

It rained here the other day. It was our first cold rain of the season. As the raindrops splattered outside, I turned on the heat, curled up in my chair with a blanket and stayed warm and cozy. When I had to go outside later that day, I put on a warm coat, got in my car and turned on the heat. Even though I had to go out, I stayed mostly warm and dry.

While money purchased my house, my car, my coat and even my blanket, it's God who provided those things. He made each of us so we have the talents and the ambition to earn money so we can buy a house and the other things we need.

Sometimes God provides for our needs all by Himself. When God made Adam and Eve, He gave them everything they needed to live. When the Israelites were leaving Egypt, He made food appear on the grass every morning! When Peter was in prison, God provided a way for him to escape.

God cares about our needs, no matter what they are, and He provides the things we need to meet those needs. He provides you with a home, parents, food, school, clothes and friends. He may not always give us what we want -- we might get green beans for dinner instead of pizza -- but He always provides for the things we need.

God tells us we don't have to worry about our needs because He will take care of them. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear...Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:25-26).

God takes care of the birds and the other animals. He provides them with the food they eat. He gives them shelter in their nests. You are much more important to God than a bird, so God is going to provide the things you need as well. The next time you see a bird, remember that God loves you much more than He loves that bird. He provides for the bird, and He will provide for you, too.

Look around the room you are in and make a list of all the things you see in the room that God has provided for you. Remember, while your mom or dad may have bought many of the things in the room, God provided the way for them to make the money that bought the items.

On your Thanksgiving wall today, add some of the things you are thankful God provides for you and your family. Pray together and thank God for providing you with the things you need.