Give Us This Day…
Matthew 6:9-11 Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Have you ever considered what you are asking for when you pray the prayer that Jesus taught us?
Give us… comes easy enough. We are adept at asking (mostly demanding) especially when we realize we are hungry!
This day… what’s on our menu today? SURELY it will be only and all my favorite foods!
Our… mmm, it’s sooooo good, EVERYONE should try it!
Daily Bread… oops! We pray… then we proceed to “bake” and “gorge” ourselves on our own recipe!
Did you mean to ask for every morsel of the day? Did you count on the portion that includes the body building elixirs? Did you ask for the vitamins and minerals for strength and healthy muscles? Did you ask for the bitter herbs and cleansing drinks that search out and destroy the fungus of worldliness?
No? Me neither… Most times I prefer that God just give me sweet treats. In fact I assume that He would NEVER want His little girl eat anything that did not please her! Soooo… when it is time for the dose of Cod Liver Oil… I clamp my lips shut, shake my head to avoid the spoon, and spit it back in God’s face when I get the chance.
But God… is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13)
Being the “Good, Good, Father” that He is, His good pleasure is perfect in every way for the child of the King!
Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
The WHOLE day… not just the pleasing parts! EVERY day… not just the special days of awe and wonder!
His eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in His book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. (Psalm 139:16)
ALL the days… ORDAINED for me… these are the day(s) the Lord has made!
Now WHAT will I do with them?
Some people take what the Lord gives and ADD their own FLAIR and SERVING SIZE to their plate.
They’re not alone… from the dawn of time, to the new nation of Israel, to all the nations of today, men have asked for their daily portion (and received it)…
Exodus 16:18-21 When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered as much as he should eat.
From the dawn of time, to the new nation of Israel (our forefathers!), to all the nations of today, we then proceed to ignore God and gather what was NOT FOR US, FOR TODAY!
Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it until morning.”
Because of course, we KNOW OURSELVES best! If this is good, MORE is always BETTER, right? (The war cry of our world!)
But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul;
So, I have to ask… myself and you.
If our life is full of worms?… is there is a foul stench?…
What “daily bread” additives have we hidden under our bed?
Good works that would be wonderful to share?
Ministry opportunities that would use our gifts, talents and knowledge?
People who are depending on us to “fix” their lives?
We all have great intentions. Most of us would never plan to fail. We really do just want to do all we can to live the abundant life God has indeed given us, but all our righteous deed are like a filthy garment (Isaiah 64:6)
Unfortunately, there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; (Romans 3:10-12). Since sin entered our nature, our nature seeks itself! What we deem as acceptable for service to God, is still a desire to satisfy ourselves.
Matthew 19:23-26 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Maybe the true problem is our definition of RICH. When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” (If you have the breath of life, you ARE rich!)
And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Is our treasure in God’s Kingdom?
Is our assurance that His perfect Will being done, guarantees His daily blessings – pressed down, shaken, full, and overflowing – poured out on all of His creation?
If heaven is our example of all that is perfect, how can we not rejoice at our fortune?
Give us this day our daily bread. We pray for it…
in His book were all written the days that were ordained for me. He gives us each day… (one at a time!)
He who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack. Perfect in every way…
THIS IS THE DAY which the Lord has made; what shall we do with it? Add our own worms and smells? NO!!!!
Let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
“God is good all the time! And all the time, God is good!” If God is for us, who is against us? (Romans 8:31)
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible