"Our Daily Bread"
The truth is challenging to remember, but we do well to frequently allow our Lord's counsel to illuminate, encourage, and challenge our hearts:
"Take no thought therefore for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself" (Matthew 6:34).
The Lord Jesus does not suggest we do not plan or prepare for the future. Many Scriptures call us to do that, especially in the book of Proverbs. The Savior rather direct us to not allow fear of tomorrow to distract us from the only day we have to live in a manner today that honors Him and serves others. Today. As the saying goes, " Never borrow tomorrow's sorrows." The Psalmist affirms, "This is the day which the Lord hath made" (Psalm 118:24; emphasis added). God makes the loaf of our daily bread fresh for the day at hand. Moreover, like the manna of old, we partake of His present provision in the knowledge that today's sustenance is for today only. A new loaf will await us if God chooses to grant to us another earthly day after the one in which we live.
Frances and I often challenge each other when tempted to fear the future. "Oh, so the Lord has appeared to you and guaranteed we will be here tomorrow?" He has not. None of us know how long our present journey through a fallen world will last. Depending on age and health, statistics may seem to confirm we will be present and accounted for along earthly pathways when the sun rises tomorrow. Never, however, do we know for sure. Thus, if we are going to fear anything, the possibility of not trusting, obeying, and honoring our Lord today should be our concern. What if we live this day without knowing our Lord's peace and joy, provided through the sorrow, suffering, and death of Calvary? What if we fail to serve others by His love and enabling? What a waste and failure to requite His love that will be! Let us take that thought rather than thoughts of fear and insecurity about a tomorrow that does not exist. Again, we prepare for the possibility of the next day, but not from fear. We make our plans with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding as our guide, along with the confidence that if given the morrow, our Lord and His abundantly adequate provision will arrive with it. Most importantly, however, we determine to live this day as if it were our only earthly day. Because it is.
"Give us this day our daily bread."
(Matthew 6:11)
"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:19)
Weekly Memory Verse
"He shall see the travail of His soul and be satisfied."
(Isaiah 53:11)
5860
No comments:
Post a Comment