Daily Bread, Daily Grace

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t always found the verse in Matthew 6:11 ‘Give us today our daily bread’ the most inspiring. I didn’t really get it, I don’t want bread every day?! Why does Jesus tell us to pray that?

Another translation of the bible says, ‘We acknowledge you as our Provider of all we need each day’. Through the journey of life it’s hard not to sometimes be consumed with worry. Worrying about our current situations and the future of our lives. Another way of putting it is worrying about our daily bread.

Well when Jesus instructs us to pray, he tells us to ask for daily bread. Not bread for the week, month, or year – just the day. We live in a world where we like to have spare, like to save, and be ready for “just in case”. There’s some real wisdom in that but it’s not necessarily how God promises us he’ll provide. He promises that he will provide all we need for the day.

Sometimes when I get preoccupied with a busy week I can be worrying on Monday about the upcoming Saturday. It’s in moments like this where remembering that God gives us all we need for the day and not more, is important. You know I may not have what I need for Saturday on Monday, but that’s because what I need will be in Saturday’s promise. The future thing you are really worried about right now, God has it covered, but it’s not in today’s daily bread. No one wants mouldy bread. There’s always a promise waiting for you.

In the days we are in now it’s hard to not worry, especially if other people around you seem to be. It’s a time full of uncertainty and things we can’t control. We see an emphasis on bad news and lots of our everyday normal has gone out the window. Where does it leave us? It leaves us back where we have and always should be. Asking for daily bread, enough grace for today.

If you’re overwhelmed, I’d encourage you to spend some time chatting with your heavenly father. He wants to know what you need for the day, and you can rest knowing that he’s promised to provide for you. Despite all that is going on we can still be full of hope. We are never going to be left alone or left without and we can be confident that our God will never let us down.

However long this pandemic lasts, we want you to know we are standing with you girls. We are praying that you would be full of hope and peace as you each ask your father for your daily bread, whatever that looks like.