Portion Control
June 13, 2015
Welcome to shedding season! Yes, that time of year when many shed clothing in order to tolerate the summer heat, and shed pounds in order to look good in lesser clothing. To shed well, all we need to do is consume fewer calories than we burn, which boils down to portion control.
And portion control is made easy by doing about 16 things like: drink 16 ounces of water before you eat, add veggies to your meal, eat off of plates that provide a contrast in color to the food you are eating (white plate for red sauce pasta), dim the lights, wear tighter clothing while eating, eat soup before your meal, walk around the block before sitting down to dinner….Easy enough, right? Not necessarily! It’s not so easy to control our portions.
But with God, portion control is a different story and rather than doing 16 steps to portion control, we can look at Exodus 16. God had no sooner delivered the Israelites out of Egypt and captivity and they began to complain:
2 The whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
So God tested them:
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.
As the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years (seems as long as shedding season for many of us), they were to daily ask God for their portion of food. Then God would rain down the exact amount of manna to nourish them. The Israelites were not to stockpile cans of manna in their tent cupboards; they were to gather enough manna for a daily provision. Each day they were to ask God for this provision as He slowly taught them to depend on Him to satisfy their hunger.
For He has satisfied the thirsty soul,
And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.
Psalm 107:9
God used portion control to teach the Israelites how to daily depend on Him, and only Him! We would do well to apply these same principles to our daily struggles, desires, and longings. Each day, God can be the perfect portion of everything we need—companionship, provision, and promises—because He is our portion!
22 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I have hope in Him.
Lamentations 3:22-24