To This Day

As a child especially in middle school I used to walk home from school. I was a the definition of a latch key kid. I walked past the elementary and picked up my brothers and we made it home. We had a set of rules, typically my mother would allow us to use the microwave but typically no use of the stove until she got home. No matter the day, everyday we came home there was food to eat. It may not have been filet mignon or escargot. I tell you what a tostino’s pizza and big cup of purple kool-aid inside a warm home, while watching reruns of the Wayan’s brothers was definitely heaven for a 16 year old.

The need was met, after walking home in the rain, or cold weather to enter a house with heat was a blessing. To enter a house with food and TV was a blessing. Every day was not great but I never went hungry.

God has the ability to provide in a similar way. Regardless of immediate need or a daily need, God makes sure we have what we need. In this petition, Jesus states “Give us this day our daily bread” Recorded in Matthew, it’s written as a need for just today. In Luke it’s written as a consistent need day by day. Regardless of where we are in life right now we need God on a daily basis.

Everyday God provides something for us that we know we need or sometimes take for granted, regardless we have needs. No matter who you are or how much money you have in the bank account you have a need.

Prayer is a need based conversation, either you are thanking God for meeting a need or asking God for a need to be met. Here we are at a new petition in this conversation with God.

We see two forms of this request between Matthew and Luke. Matthew states “give us this day” or in other ways provide this for us today.

In Luke it says “Give us day by day”

Regardless of immediate need or a daily need, God makes sure we have what we need. Sometimes it’s a “I need this today” need. Sometimes it’s a long process so God I need this daily. Nonetheless praise God that he gives everything we need.

There is a difference in urgency when you need something today versus a need you realize is a daily need.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. ()

I’m reminded of David’s writings in times where the need was immediate. Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me; For I am poor and needy” ()

It is important that we understand that Prayer shifts gears. We have spiritual needs that must be addressed, we also have physical needs. Jesus conveys this idea that a daily need is nonetheless to depend on God daily.

How many things in life do we take for granted?

Jesus ask for daily bread, a basic essential daily need, how many needs do we take for granted because we are so accustomed to having them.

What is a basic need? Let’s thank God for the basic needs we take for granted sometime.

But we know collectively that Jesus is that living bread, so much so the word is found 21 times in Matthew and Mark, 15 times in Luke, 24 times in John. Bread, sustenance, thank God when he puts physical bread in house but thank God that he is the living bread, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world”.

Regardless of how frustrating, today or tomorrow is I need God. Our daily communication with God cannot just be reduced to bad days, but good days as well.

Imagine if God only provided what you asked for on a daily basis. Could we even do anything. Jesus is the living bread, Jesus is also the word. We need the word daily! “In the Beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made”.

Let us start praying with our bibles open, petitioning God to give me what the day requires. Except we become as little children, every dependence we need should be positioned at God.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.”

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Azariah needs me and his mother to fix food, bathe him, put his clothes on even daily functions such as using the bathroom. He wakes up and goes to sleep dependent upon his mother and I. Our life should mirror such with God, wake up depending on him, go to sleep depending on God.

2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Bread From the Wrong Source

Many times we get bread in life but it’s from the wrong source. We have to be mindful where we get it. Satan will have you doing the work to get bread the wrong way and have you believing it is was a gift.

“Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, If You are the Son of God, command that these stones be turned to bread”

God is not going to give you something not meant for consumption and expect you to turn it into nourishment. The outcome of sin is death. The bread I want comes from a perfect source. Satan plays tricks on our mind. ()

The New King James Version Chapter 11

11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Who is your daily nourishment coming from? A kingdom divided cannot stand, man cannot serve two masters. We can’t expect bread from heaven just to make sandwiches of sin.

The bread of Jesus can refer to daily needs, necessary needs, needs for tomorrow nonetheless thank God we have a savior who knows when we need these things the most! What do you need this morning? Have you made it truly known to God? What have you taken for granted? Have you made that known to God?