Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Matthew 6:26.

Consider how the Lord Jesus shows us in our text the beauty of God's condescension, and the blessedness of eating out of the hand of God. He tells us how He provides, and we must not be anxious about whether or not we will have sufficient. We must be able to live by faith in the Lord.

The parable Jesus gave of Lazarus and the rich man illustrates the tender mercies of God in contrast to the wicked who would deny a beggar the crumbs that fell from his table. Look at the example which we find in LUK 16:19-21, "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day, And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores."

This parable teaches us that this man was not among the; he did not look to the needs of his neighbour. He took all the riches the Lord gave him for himself. "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried," LUK 16:22.

In his lifetime the rich man allowed the dogs to lick the sores of the beggars at his gate, but he wouldn't even give them the crumbs from his table. Now he was called to an account; see what a hopeless beggar he became in hell where all his begging availed him nothing!

"And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence," LUK 16:23-26.

Now after he had been called to account of his stewardship, the man in hell became more righteous than he had ever been in his lifetime; he became concerned for his fellow man. "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." LUK 16:27-31.

Our unbelief provokes God's jealousy when we are anxious about our temporal needs. He wants us to dwell at ease in Him with our hearts safely trusting in Him. See the message in PSA 127:1-2, "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep."