Years ago, I read a great story about a young man who left the “old country” and sailed to America looking for a new life in the “New World.” (I think the story came from Sanders’ book, Enjoying Intimacy with God.)

“Before he left, his father pressed some money into his hand. It wasn’t much, but it was all he had and he hoped it would tide the boy over until he found a job. His mother handed him a box of food the journey, then they kissed and hugged and tearfully said good-bye.

On the boat, the young man gave his ticket to the porter and found his way to the tiny cabin he’d share with several others during the month-long voyage to New York. That evening at mealtime, the young man went topside and unwrapped a sandwich his mother had made him. He ate silently as he watched other passengers file into a large room that was crowded with tables. He listened to the laughter and watched as waiters brought plates filled with hot, steaming food. But he just smiled, enjoying his mother’s fresh homemade bread and a crisp apple his brother had picked for him that morning.

But the days went by slowly and the young man’s box of food quickly dwindled. Meals such as they offered in the dining room were certainly expensive and he would need his money later. So, he ate alone now. He was down to a few crackers and cheese, a shriveled apple and the tepid rainwater he’d collected in a can.

Three days out of New York, the last of his food was gone and the young man couldn’t take it anymore. Pale and weak, he asked the porter in broken English, ‘How much?’ The porter looked confused. ‘Food,’ the young man said as he held out some coins and pointed to the dining room. Finally, the steward understood. He smiled and shook his head. ‘It is nothing’ he said. The cost of food was included in the price of the passage.’”

Too often you and I live like that. We eke our way through life, relying on our own resources, forgetting that the Lord has fully provided for us.

Ephesians 2:13-14 assures us that although we were once far away from God, we have been brought near by the blood of Christ. He has destroyed the barrier between us and lavished His blessings on us.

We can’t pay for those blessings. We can’t earn them. We definitely do not deserve them. But we ought not to ignore them.

So, this week, if you are “hungry,” don’t scrape the mold off an old piece of cheese, instead come to the banqueting table prepared for His kids. “I delight in His shade, and His fruit is sweet to my taste. Let Him lead me to the banquet hall and let His banner over me be love.” (Song of Solomon 2:3-4)