“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Matthew 6:11
Jesus often reminded His followers not to worry. He told them not to be anxious about tomorrow's needs or potential problems (Matt. 6:25). Rather, Jesus stressed a daily reliance on the Father, who provides for His children day by day.
As the Israelites wandered in the desert, they had no way to get food. Miraculously, God provided manna that appeared on the ground each morning. God's provision was sufficient for one day at a time. Each day the children of Israel received fresh manna as a tangible reminder of God's love for them. If they attempted to store it for the days to come, they found that it had spoiled by the next day. It was impossible to stockpile God's provision because God wanted them to trust in Him, not in their pantry. God's grace was sufficient for each day.
God wants us to trust Him daily with our needs. This trust does not make us poor planners or careless with our futures, unprepared to face what may come. Rather, it keeps our relationship with the Lord in its proper perspective as He reminds us daily of our dependence upon Him. God is aware of what tomorrow will bring and how we should prepare for it. He knows the problems we will face, and He has already made provision for us to overcome them. He asks us to trust in Him daily. Our faith in Him today cannot substitute for our trust in Him tomorrow. If we walk with Him closely today, we will be in the center of His will tomorrow. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
Each day, after reading my Bible, reading devotionals, writing what you find here, I get ready for work. Get my coffee and lunch. And has been our practice since getting married, I and my Wife pray before I go to work. Once on the road, I have a verbal prayer time with Jesus. Talking about the concerns of my heart. Sharing my desires for the day.
In the last 8 or so months, work isn't as plentiful in volume as in past years. It's often part of my prayer time for Jesus to keep me busy throughout the day. Much like praying for my daily bread as this devotional starts out with. Not being anxious about the day. Not worrying about what is to come. God has shown me clearly in the period of years between leaving where I work and returning almost 5 or so years later, that He always has a plan and purpose for my life.
Work is something that I do while He teaches me something else. Ever consider that? People can be taught to do something, but it doesn't follow that they learned a lesson. Very big example was in the popular movie The Karate Kid. Daniel was taught to do many things after he agreed to be trained. Yet at one explosive moment he goes off on Miyagi. Miyagi then shows him the true lesson behind taught not what his eyes saw or his mind understood.
Jesus often used normal real world things to teach and then teach. Both the job and the lesson.
It's easy to complain about life's problems to God. Yet is it necessary to go through in order to learn?
We often pray for what we want but it's oh so easy to miss praying for what we need.
We think we understand it all in life. Then Jesus takes the opportunity to open our eyes if we are willing to ask. We do not have the wisdom of God. It's something to ask for in prayer. Paul, when he was Saul, believed without a doubt that he understood the Scriptures. Believed he knew all he needed to know. Then on the road to Damascus he was brought to a screeching halt. For 3 days he neither ate nor drank. In his mind he was getting an education. The Spirit was showing him everything he had missed about the Christ. Everything he had thought he understood was thrown out. After Ananias arrived and did as instructed, he was baptized, took food and drink. Then began proclaiming what he now knew and understood about Jesus. There was no way anyone could refute him.
We often want the easy way out or around things. Sometimes God allows us that luxury, sometimes He doesn't. That Plan He has for us is incorporated into the Plan He has for over 8 billion people.
Praying is to be like breathing. It should be natural. It should be from the heart.
We aren't always going to understand why things happen. It's just the way life is.
Yet our hope isn't to be in the things we see or do. Our hope is in the person of Jesus Christ. He appoints our place in the body for His plan and purpose. We don't come to Christ with the idea that we now have a Genie to grant our every wish.
He came to seek and save the world.
He came as a servant.
Ours is to come to Christ, share that with others. To serve along the way.
What are you doing as you start your day?
Are you at all including God in your decisions? People are sometimes amazed when we say we met online 20 years ago and got married. Saying we were lucky. No, God has planned for us to meet that way. Prayer lead into it before we had ever knew of each other. Scripture says that without faith it's impossible to please God. Faith in God means trusting in His plan and purpose. It means seeking Him in our life choices. By no means should it be just saying hey I found someone that I like. The newness wears off and unfortunately in most cases divorce is in the future. You didn't include God in your decisions.
As you get ready to go about your day, pray. Pray before you start and as your day goes on.
Be thankful. Oh my dear reader be thankful to God for all He is doing in your life. The good, and yes even the bad that He allows.
We live in a world that is very ungrateful.
It should never be in regards to our own walk with God.
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