(Matthew 6:11 NIV) Give us today our daily bread.
This is part of “when you pray say this” after the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray.
But I want more than daily bread. I don’t want to have to worry about tomorrow, meaning literally tomorrow and figuratively my future time on this earth. I’m not really concerned with heaven. I know everything will be great there.
I just need to survive the journey, and I would have a lot less to worry about if I had more than this day secured.
You know what I mean: financial security, pensions, investments, a “piece of the rock,” not Jesus but an insurance company. We want life insurance, health insurance, car insurance, homeowners insurance, and we have so much stuff we often need to purchase riders to cover our special goodies.
Hmmm… I do need to call my agent and see if my music and recording gear is completely covered.
God has really been speaking to me on this. Daily bread means I have to trust God. All the other things means I don’t have to trust God as much. I am not saying those things are wrong. I am saying my over-dependence on the security they promise is wrong. Anything that works against my faith is a challenge.
Paying the bills, food to eat, roof over my head. Mmmm… I can smell something right now wafting out of the kitchen. Have to check this out.
But when I do it – pray and trust God for my daily bread – the realization that the King of the universe, Creator and Redeemer, Provider and Sustainer, has his-own-self put it on my table, providing for me and my family.
That is peace of mind.
But then the process begins again tomorrow. Give us today our daily bread. Can you hear the growing pains?
