It’s Daily Bread
Israel had been miraculously delivered from its Egyptian captivity but now they face a new dilemma. Can you imagine the audacity of God to ask this beautiful but broken nation to fully trust Him? Trust was a foreign concept to these people; they have lived in the chains of slavery for over four hundred years. Their service to Pharoah was forced and it is empty of love or genuine trust. Long before their captivity, God had promised their deliverance and this has come to pass. Israel must now begin the journey to the land God promised them, and while it took longer than needed, it wasn’t without purpose. What He started teaching them thousands of years ago, He’s still teaching many of us today.
Leaving Egypt meant they were also leaving the little bit of provision and security they had known. It was far from ideal but it did keep them living. Exodus 16 tells the story, but a good way into the journey they begin to accuse Moses of bringing them into the wilderness to die of hunger. God responds by sending nourishment from heaven — they wake up to see the ground covered with more food than they can eat. Gone are the days of scarcity and uncertainty! There was just one condition, God told Moses they were only allowed to take enough for the day. It might seem an unusual demand, but God was teaching Israel to trust Him. There was no reason to be ruled by fear any longer, they were governed by a new King with a kinder nature. God provided today and He will provide tomorrow.
Suddenly the “daily bread” (Matthew 6:11) Jesus mentions in the Sermon on the Mount takes on a deeper meaning. He brings to their minds this old and familiar story as a reminder that the lesson is still being learned. These words serve as a memorial of God’s kindness and call for a renewal of our trust. Sadly, the stigma of past hurts and relationships can live on inside of us for years. The pain of those memories is like a prison on your faith and changes how you see God. Like a prisoner’s only view of freedom is through the bars of a jail cell, your view of God becomes obstructed by hurts and not formed by truth.
Jesus is teaching on prayer here and prayer is as much about the attitude of our heart as it is the words from our lips. He talked about what can happen when we speak if we do not doubt in our hearts (Mark 11:23). So, what effect will our prayers have when with our words we ask but with our hearts we doubt? Not much. Fully trusting God is so necessary to receiving from Him that He is still taking time to teach these principles to believers everywhere. To pray “give us this day our daily bread” is both an acknowledgment of our need and His kindness. There is no shame in your asking and there is no reluctance in His giving (Matthew 7:8-11).
You don’t need to try and make it by on what God did yesterday, last week, or last year. And you don’t need to live in fear of what will happen tomorrow, next week, or next year. You can trust God. He has something special prepared for you every day of your life but the only place you will find it is in a daily connection with Him. Remember, it’s daily bread.
