The Word and The World
Friday, March 14, 2008
Give Us This Day...
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread…
“22 He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you--you of little faith! 29 And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” – Luke 12:22-31
“22 He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you--you of little faith! 29 And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” – Luke 12:22-31
In my walk of faith, I have always trusted God. I knew without a doubt, that I would always have what I needed to succeed in life. I’ve tried to live and to walk with the passage above in mind each day. Each time I read the passage I am also reminded of an old Rolling Stones song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” In both cases, I recall the difference between what I might want and what I truly need and require each day.
This is the same message and lesson that was taught to the people of Israel in the dessert. When they had no food and cried out to God, God provided manna. But it was just enough for each household for one day (except for the Sabbath).
Some of us have been fortunate and have leaned this lesson early on in life. Other people struggle to learn it and never seem to succeed. It is this struggle to get what one needs that has led Christianity to be called at the same time; an “Opiate to the masses,” and a promise of liberating hope for those who need it.
When we pray, “Give us this day…,” we seek enough for today and no more. This is completely contrary to all the conventional wisdom of the world. Society, teaches us from an early age to not be satisfied with what we need, instead to seek what we want. We are encouraged to be greedy little children who always want more and are never satisfied.
A Christ-like life focuses on trusting God for all we need in life. It helps us to realize that God gives us enough and then some. We have ample reason to rejoice in the gifts God has given us and the bounty we have. Our stewardship finds at its heart the realization that God has indeed given us our daily bread and dessert too!
Thank you Lord for our daily bread and for all the bounties we receive from you. May our trust and reliance on you deepen each day as we recognize the bounties you have given to us. This we ask in the name of your greatest gift, Christ our Lord. Amen.
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