“Give us each day our daily bread.”
Luke 11:3
What if we prayed this prayer with a sincere heart actually understanding the weight of what it says?
What if God answered this prayer of only giving us what we need for today?
What if He only gave us a portion that wasn’t too much and wasn’t too little?
What if He only gave us enough manna from heaven for the day or enough money for the day or enough water for the day?
What if…
“Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or that I not be in want and steal and profane the name of my God.”
Proverbs 30: 8-9
When the Israelites were walking through the wilderness, they were hungry and they were tired. We all know what happens when we are hungry and we are tired. It means that we are a whole lot of fun to be around.
And in Exodus 16 the Lord heard all of their grumblings and all of their complaints. What a faithful God.
Bread appeared with the dew of the morning and the Lord commanded them to only gather what they needed for the day for each person in their home. It says that some gathered much and some gathered little. One man, from a home, gathered for himself and for others.
It goes on to say in verse 18 that “he who gathered much had no excess and he who gathered little had no lack.”
I’ve been around the world now. I’ve seen different portions in different countries. I’ve seen different portions in different homes and different villages and on different world race teams. It’s always just enough. Whether it’s a big portion or a smaller one. I’ve seen a Pastor in Haiti trust the Lord with his daily bread because it was just enough to get him by. He used it for himself and for the orphans in the orphanages he opened and for the people living in his home. I’ve seen people in the villages of India trust the Lord with their daily bread and cook all that they had for a few white missionaries who came to share the gospel. I’ve seen my church at home trust the Lord with their daily bread as they build an orphanage in Costa Rica or as they do outreaches in the communities. I’ve seen my family trust the Lord for their daily bread when America’s failing economy no longer supported their jobs.
It’s not just money and it’s not just food. It’s grace to make it through a day. I’ve trusted the Lord with my daily bread of grace to get through each day at a job where child abuse was all I heard about. I’ve seen my friends trust the Lord with their daily bread of grace and strength and mercy as they battle cancer or as they work a job that helps people battle cancer. I’ve seen my teammates trust the Lord with their daily bread to get them through a journey that sometimes seems a lot like a wilderness.
Then… after the Lord provided just enough for the grumbling and complaining Israelites, He told them not to save it for the next day because He knew that He would be providing tomorrow’s bread.
He subtly asked them to trust Him.
Because He had already provided water from a rock and He had already led them out of slavery and He had already provided meat and bread and He had already split the Red Sea.
For. Crying. Out. Loud.
All He was asking was that they trust Him for today’s bread and tomorrow’s bread and every day’s bread after that. For their daily bread.
Trust Him with daily bread.
Then, it goes on to say that some of the men didn’t eat what the Lord gave them for that day and that they saved it for the next day. They didn’t trust that the Lord was faithful even though He’d already proven Himself faithful in so many ways. They woke up the next day and the leftovers were covered with maggots and were not edible.
They wasted their daily bread.
They wasted what the Lord provided for them because they didn’t trust that He would provide after all of the providing He had done.
Like He runs out of provision.
Like He runs low on manna from heaven.
Like there’s a daily bread shortage.
Like grace is a one time thing and you mess up once and you’re going to hell.
What if, everyday, we used the bread that He gave us? Instead of storing it up where moths could destroy it? What if He gave you a whole loaf of bread, not only so that you could eat and be satisfied but so others could also eat and be satisfied? What if that whole loaf of bread was going to have maggots on it when you woke up? What would you choose to do with it?
Would you waste it just because you were full from your toast or sandwich or grilled cheese? Or would you go find someone that needed some, too?
He gives me “my portion” so that I will not be satisfied and question who He is and so I will not be hungry and steal. What if I used that portion to give all I have to the cause of Christ? What if I trusted Him to provide for me tomorrow so I used all that I have today?
Am I saying that having a savings account and emergency fund is a bad thing? Absolutely not. What I am saying though is that there comes a point when we are lacking in trust of the Lord. There comes a point when we love the control of things a little too much. There comes a point when we aren’t laying down our lives and being selfless for the lost and dying of this world.
I am filled up to pour out. I am redeemed to tell the world about a redeemer. I am saved to tell the world about a savior. I have grace to tell the world about grace.
I have so that I can give.
I trust the Lord with my daily bread and trust that it’s just enough and that it’s meant to not only be used on myself but on the ones around me.
If your portion looks like a big house or a small shack, use it to glorify the Lord. If your portion is a nice car or two legs to walk you somewhere then use it to glorify the Lord. If your portion is two small copper coins then put those two small copper coins in for the Lord and let Him say, “This poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.” Luke 21
Use your portion for the Lord. See that He is worthy of our trust to spend all that He has given us this day.
Mary poured the whole bottle of perfume on Jesus not questioning whether or not she should because she saw and she understood that He was worth it.
The perfume was worth a day’s wages. He gave her enough for the day and she poured it back out on Him for His sake.
How about a little update on life? We are now in MONTH ELEVEN. In Jamaica. I cannot believe this journey is about to come to an end. In Jamaica we are working in a place a few hours from Montego Bay. We are walking in the communities and hanging out with locals and telling them all about Jesus and what He’s done for them. I absolutely love being immersed in the culture of this country. The other day I got the opportunity with a squad mate to be on the radio and talk about all the Lord has done over these last 11 months. It was such a great opportunity. I am so thankful for each of you and all the support you have shown me. I know that some people are asking about my plans after the race and I have an idea of what the Lord is leading me into but you’ll have to stay tuned for details while me and Him work it all out. Until then, I am willing to clean your house, babysit your kid or house or dog or any other thing that you might need babysat. I am willing to be your chauffeur or your secretary. Really, let me know if you have any ideas and/or openings where I could make some money while getting used to that American life again. Seriously, thank you to everyone that has supported, prayed for and encouraged me over this journey. You’ve made it possible for the Lord to change my life while I’ve been watching Him change others around the world, too.
