Tuesday, February 7, 2012

February 8, 2012

"Give us this day our daily bread......." Matthew 6:11

I focused yesterday on how God has the power and the desire to provide your needs. He fed millions of Hebrews in the desert for forty years with manna from heaven.

In the next few days I will have more to say about God, the Provider. But as I was meditating on this verse today, I was impressed with another aspect of this prayer. Jesus taught us to pray for His provision on a daily basis.

When God miraculously provided the manna in the wilderness He did it on a daily basis. Moses gave the people enough manna for that day and if they tried to gather too much it spoiled and became filled with maggots. Only on the day before the Sabbath were they allowed to collect more than one day's worth of the "heavenly bread".

On those occasions when Jesus fed the multitudes from only a few loaves of bread, even though it was a miracle of multiplication He only gave them what they needed for THAT day!

Later in this same Teaching, Jesus again mentions the important of living daily and trusting God to provide what you need. And think about it, if you can trust Him to give you daily bread today, why shouldn't be able to trust Him again tomorrow? Here is His statement:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34

"Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:13-14

When Jesus sent His disciples out two by two in His name to do ministry, He didn't give them any food at all! And they didn't ask! He knew they would be taken care of and they didn't seem worried about it either! They did go and they didn't starve and many signs and wonders were performed.

So, what is Jesus wanting you to understand by stressing the daily aspect of your relationship with God?

God wants you to enjoy knowing Him and loving Him in the NOW - THIS MOMENT - a day at a time! He wants to provide for you so you can focus on Him, so you can fellowship with Him, and so you can feel His presence!

That is how it was in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve enjoyed being with God in the eternal moment - until they sinned. And that's how it is in Heaven! Time is not a factor, God is worshipped in the forever NOW! He is the adored central focus of Heaven and all of the Heavenly beings rejoice over being in His presence in the eternal NOW!

Will you enjoy being in God's presence today? Will you ask Him to provide what you need so that He  and you can enjoy being with Him today in each moment of today? Will you get up in the morning and do it again? Will you get yourself acclimated for your life to come in the forever NOW?