Psalm 81:10  “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭81:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://psalm.bible/psalm-81-10

I’m GOD, your God, the very God
who rescued you from doom in Egypt,
then fed you all you could eat,
filled your hungry stomachs.
(The Message)

—

I was crowned yesterday. Well, Part One of the crowning process was completed in the dentist chair yesterday afternoon. As a certified Guy Who Does Not Like Needles, this involved three separate moments of injection involving multiple injections each time over a three-hour period. It’s a good thing I was lying back in that uncomfortable recliner.

The dentist and her assistant were blocking my view of Property Brothers on the television. I couldn’t keep up with the renovations on the houses. Since I was going to be there a while, I closed my eyes and prayed for friends and family who are experiencing challenges and grief. 

Having a couple of women’s hands and several dental implements in my mouth at the same time, I logically thought of this verse. A smile curved my lips this morning when I read these words from Psalm 81 as part of the Bible Recap reading plan. 

Thankfully, our Father in heaven was not referring to dental experiences when he said, “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” Instead, this is a moment of remembrance of how he led Israel out of Egypt and provided for them so wonderfully and abundantly throughout their wilderness wanderings. 

This verse begins like the Ten Commandments (See Exodus 20:2). God our Father introduces himself as the God who rescued them from Egypt. The Mighty One took on the gods of Egypt and took them out. It was he who brought them out of slavery and into freedom. It was he who was creating a nation out of a mob. It was he who was establishing order and giving direction. 

It was he who provided all they needed and so much more. Where God guides, you may have heard, he provides. 

Where God spoke the Ten Commandments upon uttering this preamble in Exodus 20, here he promises his continuing provision to all who will depend on him like baby birds receive nourishment from their mothers. Let’s enjoy this allusion without thinking too specifically about little-bird diets, especially if you are reading this over breakfast. 

Yesterday, I wrote about fishing. Yesterday, Mom and Dad went fishing. Dad did what he always does. He caught more than anyone. Mom caught precisely one crappie and one catfish. Then she snagged something she could not reel in. A friend of theirs took her rod and reel and landed a six-and-a-half-pound bass. 

Our Father in heaven is the Giver of All Good Things. He gives to those who open themselves up to receive his bounty and blessings. He also gives sunny days and refreshing rains to everyone. There is a real sense in which we are about as blessed by God as we want to be. 

A Christian leader in Tennessee is a coaching client of mine. He has clarified his life call over the last few months. When he told our group yesterday what God was doing through him, the rest of us on the call affirmed the richness and meaning of how God is using him to benefit others. He opened his mouth wide and God filled it. 

Know God for who he is. Trust him for all you need. Live a life that honors him and benefits others. This is what our Father in heaven wants for each of us. 

Three weeks from now, the dentist and her assistant will fill my mouth with my new crown. This will make it possible for me to chomp and chew for years to come. That’s a good gift. What do you need repaired so that you can enjoy God’s good gifts?

—

I will trust God for all I need when I need it.

—

Our Father, you have filled my life with good things. Thank you for your abundant kindness. Thank you for making promises and keeping them. You are our savior and provider. What more could we want? Amen.