THE PROVIDER OF THE FEAST by Robert Soto (Published in an email from Words From the Creator)

THE PROVIDER OF THE FEAST
By Robert Soto
Published in an email from Words From the Creator

November 27, 2009

Genesis 1:11-12 "Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good."

I am sure most of you are trying to recover from Thanksgiving. I think it is funny that for some reason, most of us forget our diet and forget to eat proportionately, but let ourselves go and forget whatever wisdom we might have when it comes to eating. But as I ate today, I looked around our massive table prepared by my mother and I could not help but smile. You see, if it were not for us, the Indian people, you would not have much of a Thanksgiving feast. I saw a sliced turkey along with mashed potatoes. I saw corn along with a corn and squash casserole. I saw green beans along with cranberry sauce. There were tomatoes in the salad and of course, who could have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. I was surprised no one brought yams and all the stuff you can make with them. With the exception of a few other items, all that was served today were foods that we provided to the world.

Actually, it has been said that our Native people of times past provided sixty percent of the food the world eats today. Foods that God the Creator placed before us and foods that were cultivated and produced by tribes all over the Americas. God the Creator said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so... And God saw that it was good." It was the good of our land that fed the world; the good of our land that saved the world. The good of our land that gave people nourishment and survival. Next time you celebrate Thanksgiving make sure you thank God the Creator for His provision. But then, thank God the Creator for the Indian people who were the original providers of the feast.

Robert Soto, Lipan Apache and pastor of:

McAllen Grace Brethren Church
The Native American New Life Center
Chief of Chiefs Christian Church