Psalm 104 Day 4 — What Are You Turning To for Comfort?

Psalm 104:14-18 “You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart. The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them, the birds build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.”

Today, we are given a window into the flawless design of everything. This, I believe, is what we have been exploring in the previous three parts as well. God's goodness is truly astounding. It is wondrous how He has considered every aspect. Today’s verses demonstrate not only that God's interest is not limited to our necessities but also that He takes into account our happiness and comfort. This is a powerful reminder of the role of religious texts in inspiring and comforting us, serving as a source of reassurance and uplift.

The verse begins by noting that grass grows for cattle, and other plants grow for people to use to bring forth food from the earth. This is not a one-sided provision, but a comprehensive one. We need the plants to have food, but we also need the cows. The cows provide milk, cheese, and meat for us to eat, and God is making sure we are both fed.

Next, it says He gave us wine to gladden the human heart. I know many people who are happy that we have wine to gladden our hearts. I do think we need to be careful that we don’t turn to this wine to gladden our hearts more than we turn to the Lord. What starts out as a small glass of wine at night to wind down can turn into a few glasses every night just to cope with the stresses of our day-to-day lives. This is when it can become a problem. Do you need to have a glass of wine every night? What if you took a break and fasted from it for a week or even a month? Would you be able to do that? I know someone who gives us wine and all alcohol every Lent. This is a great chance for her to remind herself that although she really likes a glass of wine here and there, she doesn’t need it. She is ok without it.

One reason it is good to take a look at your wine or alcohol consumption is that if you regularly drink more than a glass at night, you might not feel your best in the mornings. I follow Rachel Hollis online, and I have read her books. She talked about how she used to have a glass of wine when she got home from work to help her unwind. However, the stresses of life increased, and one glass turned into two, and every now and then into every single night. She said she noticed that every morning she woke up, starting her day at a disadvantage because she didn’t feel great. She would feel crappy from the wine she had had the night before. I don’t know about you, but if I start each day feeling crappy, it usually doesn’t get better.

Have you noticed that you feel crappy when you wake up in the mornings? Do you have a headache or a stomachache? Do you just feel drained and worn out? You don’t have to feel this way. God does not want us to feel crappy. Instead of turning to alcohol to help you unwind, maybe put on some praise and worship music and dance it out. Maybe sit, read scripture, and talk to the Lord. He is there for you, and He will listen to you for as long as you want to talk. He can even help you in your situation, and He can show you a way forward. Alcohol can’t do that. It may feel like it is helping you in the moment, but it is not helping in the long run and could even be hurting you.

I am not sure who needed to hear that this morning; that certainly wasn’t what I thought I would be talking about, but the Holy Spirit knew someone listening really needed to hear that. If you are listening to this episode and the Spirit makes you reconsider how much you are drinking, I encourage you to listen to a few episodes of my friend Catherine Cody’s podcast, “Meet Me At The Well.” Catherine is a recovering alcoholic and is real and honest about her struggle in her podcast. She gave her testimony on one of my first few Witness Wednesdays. If you want to hear her incredible story, it is episode #236. She is so real and loving, and she has a heart for anyone struggling with any addiction. If you need someone to talk to about where you are at, please reach out to me, and I can put you in touch with Catherine. Or you can check out her podcast; she probably has contact information there. If you question whether you drink too much, just listen to her podcast, Meet Me At The Well. What have you got to lose?

Next, the verse says, “Oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.” Can you believe that God even cares about our faces shining? He also gave us bread to strengthen the human heart. I don’t know about you, but I am more excited about the bread than the wine. I love bread. I also love how bread can be used as a sacrifice. There are many people who do bread-and-water fasts, where that is all they eat for a day or a certain period of time. This is a great addition to your prayer life. Fasting and prayer are so powerful. If you have a prayer you have been asking and have not seen any answers yet, try praying and fasting to see if that helps. It doesn’t have to be a 40-day fast like Jesus did in the desert. It could be one day a week, fasting from something you really like, missing one meal a day for a week, or whatever you feel called to do. If you want to try adding fasting to your prayer, ask the Lord how, and He will give you guidance. He will tell you what is best for you. In the past, I have fasted from soda because I love it, and it feels like an addiction at times. Also, I have a prayer request I would like answered sooner rather than later, and I am hoping God will look upon my fasting with favor.

Next, it says, “The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them, the birds build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees.” Isn’t it amazing how God takes care of all of his creatures, not just the humans? He created so many creatures and yet He hasn’t lost track of a single one of them. He knows exactly what each one needs.

God created trees with roots so they can take in as much water as they need. Trees are good for so many reasons for us humans. They provide us with shade, fruit, firewood, wood for furniture and houses, and paper. Trees were also used for weapons such as bows and arrows. However, trees are also useful for the animals. The verse talks about how birds build their nests in trees. They are not the only ones. I know squirrels live in trees as well. There are many animals that either live in or spend time in trees. Trees provide protection from many animals.

The verse ends with, “The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.” I have no idea how goats can climb mountains. I have seen goats on mountains, but it doesn't make sense to me how they stay up there without falling down. It is great of God to make the high mountains for them. I am sure they are protected up there, and they know their way around better than we do. It also says the rocks are a refuge for the coneys. I don’t know about you, but I had no idea what coneys are, so I looked it up. It looks like they are a type of rabbit. So this verse says that the rabbits can take refuge in the rocks. This is great because their natural predators would be large cats, pythons, and eagles. If they can hide in the rocks, that will protect them from most animals trying to find and eat them. God is our protector, and He protects the animals, too!

Dear Heavenly Father, we ask you to bless everyone listening to this episode. Lord, thank you for looking out for us and for knowing us so well. You anticipated our every need and those of all the animals, and you provided for them. You are truly amazing, and we love you so much! Lord, I ask you to pour your love into everyone listening and that you help all those who are listening who may be struggling with alcohol use. Lord, help them get help if they need it. We love you, Lord, you are so amazing! We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’s holy name. Amen!

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not good enough for God, this space is for you. You can come exactly as you are and grow from there. Join us at walkboldlywithjesus.com/mentoring. I look forward to seeing you all on Monday morning. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed weekend!

Today’s Word from the Lord was received in October 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today’s Word from the Lord is, “My children, there are times when I will work the miracle for you, but there are times when I'll just walk with you through the trial that you're going through, because I see eternally and I know what works best for you, and I need to stretch you at times, but know that I am always with you, and I am faithful to you, and I will not let the darkness overcome you.”

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