Let's think about this a minute: Give us this day our daily bread; of course, a familiar line from the prayer Jesus taught the disciples, following "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And then 'give us this day our daily bread....'1 For many decades I have prayed those words, but not one day in my life did I ever really think I would not have anything to eat. 'You?
So, what about our daily bread?
When the Lord led the Israelites out of Egypt, He sustained them in the desert by giving them their daily bread. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.2 Turns out it was a wafer-like substance that tasted like honey, and it was in fact their daily bread. God gave them exactly what they needed... manna.
Consider the psalmist's description: "Yet he [God] commanded the skies above
and opened the doors of heaven, and he rained down on them manna to eat
and gave them the grain of heaven. Man ate of the bread of the angels;
he sent them food in abundance."3
What is the daily bread you and I need -- the manna only our Father knows to supply? For some, it is certainly food; but for most reading this, it may be much more than food. I submit to you that we ought ask God to give us what he knows we need. Think of it, the Israelites did not dream up such a thing as 'manna' from Heaven ... God did. He knew they needed it every day, and he gave it to them; why, it even tasted good! But note: it was given to them one day at a time.
Life in relationship with God is also meant to be lived one day at a time, starting our day with the Savior - in the Word and in prayer. Mark my words: if you start your day with God, you will be the best version of yourself tall day long. Give us this day our daily bread gets at our daily dependence on God, asking that He meet our needs, and our trusting him each day.
Trusting God is like that--one day at a time. Not long after Jesus taught this prayer to the disciples, he punctuated it with wisdom we are meant to employ. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.4
Trust God for today. Over and over in Scripture, God tells us to trust him, perhaps not stated any more succinctly than in Proverbs: Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.5 Stop! I know those words are too familiar for some, so you read right over them without thinking.
Trust - how? Surrender yourself, your day, your will to God.
Ask Him for wisdom, as he promises to give it when you ask.6 Perhaps your prayer might be as simple as 'God, will you lead me, give me your wisdom and discernment on this matter today?'] That is how we acknowledge him. And from the psalmist: Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and he will act.7
Yea, asking God for our daily bread can be far more than petitioning him for sustenance for our bodies, but instead inviting seeking him to lead and guide all day long, even breathing out throughout the day 'May my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, Lord.'8
I challenge you to ask God for your daily bread
>>what is the thing God knows you need to live fully for Him each day?
Wisdom? Definitely. Abiding trust in Him? Absolutely.
The ability to persevere when you would like to throw in the towel? Yes, especially.
'Hope when your heart is grieving, suffering great loss? God alone knows.
And as we seek his direction, we listen for his voice, captured so eloquently by Isaiah, "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."9
Manna from Heaven - our daily bread, the Lord himself today.
Manna . . . who knew? listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsGI0SYV6Ro
Christine
Luke, 41
1 Luke 11.1-3
2 Exodus 16.15
3 Psalm 78.23-25
4 Matthew 6.33-34
5 Proverbs 3,5-6
6 James 1.5
7 Psalm 37.5
8 Psalm 19.14
9 Isaiah 30.21
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