Can I Have Some More Sir?

In the classic book, Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens, an orphan by the same name was raised in a workhouse, survived on a small amount of thin gruel three times a day. Twice a week, he received an onion and on Sundays a half a roll. Clearly not enough for a growing young boy to thrive and flourish. In chapter two of this story, Oliver is nudged by the other boys to ask for more. Oliver courageously, yet timidly, makes his way to the master, bowl in hand, and utters the most famous line from this novel…”Please, sir, I want some more.” Oliver didn’t get more and was thrown into confinement.

I’m confident the thin gruel wasn’t filling or enough to satisfy a hungry boy, but though he was hungry, his master wouldn’t budge on the allotted meal he would receive. His feeble attempt for more just got him into trouble.

Psalm 16:5 says, “Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.” (CSB) When we read that verse and think “portion”, it’s not the portion we think of when Oliver is begging for more. In the context of the Old Testament, it was symbolic of what people today might call “fate” or “destiny” but not in such a random or impersonal way as we would mean that today. All things were seen as God’s Will, so your “portion” is that part assigned to you by God. The Israelites also received their portion of land when entering Canaan. Each tribe received their portion of land, except the Levites. They did not receive a tract of land, but would be told their portion was God. (Numbers 18:20)

If you were a Levite, you might have been like Oliver, asking your master for more. But the Levites had all that they needed in their Portion, Who was the Lord. When we realize that the Lord is all we have, we realize He is all we need. The first verse of Psalm 23 says, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” (KJV) and David begins this Psalm stating the fact that we have all we need in our Lord, the Good Shepherd.

We come to the feet of our Master and He provides all that we need and so much of what we want. When we lift up our burdens, He lovingly embraces us and we don’t end up in confinement, but are found free through His sacrifice. He is our Portion. With Him we have all we need.

–Rose Booth