Deuteronomy 8:3, Psalm 23
Matthew 4, 6:7-34

"And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord (Deuteronomy 8:3)."

For many years, I have pondered the significance of the lean periods in my life, times when I earned little money, and couldn't find a job. I thought about all kinds of things, ways that I could somehow earn God's favor and get back in good standing. But now, in addition to understanding that God blesses whom He chooses to bless, and how His mercy and gifts are undeserved, I also discovered this passage from Deuteronomy.
What this tells me is that God sometimes builds trust in His people by humbling them and taking away their dependence on material things. God brought the Israelites into the wilderness with no food, so they had to wait on God, and God gave them manna and quail to eat. Likewise, those angels that helped Jesus came out of nowhere after his temptation, to take care of him.
We probably won't literally get manna, but God does at times provide for us miraculously in our own lives. A random gift from a stranger, or the generosity of family members, always something we need in our lean times, even if it's a scrap of slightly moldy bread in a prison camp or something. As long as we look to our creator for sustenance, we will never suffer a want that cannot be endured. May we continue to look to our Lord for all our needs.

Dear Father in heaven, help me to keep my eyes lifted to you for all my needs. Help me to not become complacent in prosperity, but help me to trust you in all things. Help me to keep my eyes open for your provision in lean, impoverished times, and help me to live by your every word, not just in food alone. I pray this in your Son's holy name. Amen.