The Food Given by God
God told Adam and Eve to fill the earth and rule over it. In creating the earth, God made a home for people that they were to populate and take care of. God had created everything people needed to live well and enjoy life. After telling Adam what was his responsibility in terms of the earth, God then told him what they could eat.
Genesis 1:29-30 says, 29Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground–everything that has the breath of life in it–I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Plants to Eat
In the beginning God gave both people and animals plants to eat. They didn’t eat meat. Everything that people and animals needed for a long and healthy life was found in plants. God’s design is for plants to take sunlight, carbon dioxide, water and minerals and change them into sugars through the process of photosynthesis. The food the plants make from this process is stored in their roots, stems, leaves, fruit and seeds to provide food for themselves and for people and animals. It wasn’t until after the flood that God told people they could eat meat.
From the beginning of time, God has been faithful to supply the needs of his creation. All that we need for both physical and spiritual life comes from God. Psalm 145:15-16 says, 15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. 16You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
If God were to remove his hand of kindness and stop his provision, we would be without life. We need to daily thank God for his goodness in taking care of his creation and providing us with all that is needed for both physical and spiritual life.
Not by Bread Alone
Moses reminded the Israelites of this when he told them, (Deuteronomy 8:3) 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
The idea that human beings do not live by bread alone means that being fed spiritually is every bit as important as being fed physically. Jesus emphasized this in his teaching in the New Testament.
Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 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? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
God Knows Our Needs
In terms of provision, God knows what we need. Our part in receiving God’s provision is to seek God first. That means that we must hunger after God himself. We seek first to have our spiritual needs met. We recognize that all provision, spiritual and physical, comes from God.
The law of needs states: All of our needs can be met in God. None of our needs can be met outside of God. Our most important need is spiritual. Therefore, we must seek God and trust him to meet our needs. That is something we always need to keep in mind.
- Overview Questions: What were men and animals given to eat at the time of their creation? What does this mean they didn’t eat? How do plants produce food? Where do plants store food? What does God know about our needs? What does God do for our needs?
- Thought Questions: Why do you think people and animals weren’t allowed to eat meat in the beginning? What kinds of health problems does eating too much meat cause? How do we know God is the one who supplies our needs? Besides food what do we need to survive? How does God supply those things?
- Prayer: Thank God that he loves you and provides what you need physically and spiritually. Thank him for the food he continually supplies and for air, light and water he created that provide what you need for life. Thank God that he is your source of life and pray that you would seek him first.
- Week’s Memory Verse: Psalm 145:15-16
15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. 16You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
What does God give to all living things?
God provides for the needs of all life.