What Now? Humble Trust

 Wouldn't it be nice if God just did what we asked on our time schedule? We ask for good things and it often seems to take an extraordinary amount of time before anything happens. There are those moments when the Lord seems to answer even before we ask. However, it is not unusual for us to sit in  that heavenly waiting room to receive some response from the Almighty. As we have noted, 2020 has been a difficult year for many people and God's people are not exempt. For some, the turmoil from the American election goes on unabated. In addressing these things there are still things we can do. Advancing God's kingdom does not stop due to a virus or the outcome of an election. With that in mind we have been looking to the familiar verses of Matthew 6:9-13, what is commonly known as, "The Lord's Prayer".

First, we are called to keep going forward, knowing that our heavenly Father is with us. By His holy name we can find comfort and purpose. Second, we were reminded to advance His kingdom. We can do so in a variety of ways, one being the opportunity and responsibility to live out the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. The world needs to see the children of God putting, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, on display. The Lord's encouraging words go on to instruct us to pray for God to give us our daily bread and to be those whose lives are marked by forgiveness. They are examples of holding a humble trust for the God and Father Who loves us.

For some of us praying for, "Our daily bread", might seem a bit of a waste of time. After all many of us live beyond abundance. Finding daily bread might seem easier that trying to curb the intake of bread to help reduce our waste-lines. The phrase would be more meaningful if we were Jewish folk following Messiah Jesus around the highways and byways of Judea. Daily bread was an absolute necessity for the Hebrews during forty years of wilderness wanderings. Manna was the daily bread that came down from heaven to allow the children of Israel to survive. Without God's daily provision the people would have perished. It was a powerful reminder that they were fully dependent upon the Lord for their survival. If you have food in the cupboard such dependence and trust might seem unnecessary. We live in the illusion of self sufficiency. It is humbling to recognize our dependence upon God. Jesus is our bread from heaven. We need Him daily, moment by moment, if we are to survive in this fallen world. John 6:35 explains, "And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." We need to be humble, trusting, dependent, people if we are to advance His kingdom and move forward in the days to come.

Humility is one of those difficult things to foster and integrate into our lives. We prefer to be independent and self sufficient. This trait may become glaringly obvious when someone offends us. We say things like, "I don't get mad, I get even" or "I can forgive but I will never forget". We hang onto offenses and irritations like they were precious metals. Morbid jewels infesting our lives or closeted away in lock boxed memories. The guardian of pride protects the hurt and eventually sucks the very life from our bones. The Lord knows the danger. Thus, He instructs us to forgive those who have trespassed or become indebted to our wounded spirits. It takes a humble person to forgive. It is often much easier to proudly hold onto the trespass or emotional debt we maintain in their account. It is wise to remember this warning from James, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). If we are to ask our Heavenly Father's forgiveness we must forgive others as well. We cannot move forward anchored to past hurts and preserved transgressions.

The New Year is approaching. Many are praying this would be a year of revival and the outpouring of God's Spirit in new and refreshing ways. To see God's will done here on earth as it is in heaven. If we are to be a part of that revival or to have the power of prayer with us, we need to be those who live with humble trust. To come to the Lord fresh every morning asking to to nourished by the very Bread of Heaven Who rescues our souls. We must be those quick to forgive and slow to take offense. To follow Paul's directions to the Ephesians in 4:32, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." 

There are yet a few more  forward thoughts here in Matthew 6, but this is enough to think about for this week. What now? Maybe we need a little more of that humble trust and forgiving spirit if we are to advance God's kingdom in the days to come. 

Daily Bread or What's For Dinner?

What things are on your daily prayer list? Maybe members of your family, someone struggling, your nation, these are all important and even have some Biblical support. What about bread? Jesus told His disciples that their prayer was to include this request,"Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). Praying to and honoring our Heavenly Father seems appropriate. Praying for His Kingdom and will to be done seems like that should be a priority as well. But daily bread? I mean, this does not seem like a real problem for most of us. Bread is readily available in a variety of shapes, flavors, with and without gluten. Then add pastries, donuts, bagels, and desserts and I have more bread than I should even eat. At the time of the writing of Matthew bread was a needed staple of life. There were occasional famines however, with the size and network that was the Roman Empire, bread could usually be found. So why would the disciples be instructed to pray for bread every day?

Bread was actually a pretty big deal when Rabbi Jesus spoke these words. Bread meant a great deal to the Jews. There was the Feast of Unleavened Bread that they were required to keep. The traditional Seder meal had a focus on the bread. The Feast of Tabernacles was a reminder that God had provided bread, manna, everyday for forty years as they wandered in the wilderness. Bread was simply woven into Jewish society and culture in a way that elevated this common food to something that carried a special meaning several times a year. Jesus, would refer to himself as "The bread of life" in John 6:35, and "the bread that comes down from heaven" (John 6:41). We remember the Lord's death with the breaking of bread, as He instructed us to. God uses bread to illustrate the common and basic needs of life. He lets us know that this bread is also true of His Son. Meaning our very lives are dependent upon God's Son.

Praying, "Give us this day our daily bread" can actually be a very meaningful prayer. Bread is essential for survival. Starvation is not a pleasant thought. However, the application of the prayer goes well beyond what is for dinner. It ca be a reminder of just how dependent we are upon the Lord to provide for us. Every breath, every heart beat, is a gift from Him. When we come to a place where we think little about our daily needs we can miss the reality that we really are totally dependent upon our Heavenly Father and His Son for everything in life, and the life yet to come. We also miss how remarkably gracious He is, how dependable and trustworthy He is. The reason I do not think much about bread is due to the fact that it is always available. Just as the True Bread form Heaven is with me every moment of every day. Perhaps, there is a good reason to place this request into our daily prayers. God's faithfulness can easily be overlooked and even forgotten. He is my bread of life every day of my life. It seems to me that the Lord is directing us to pause during our busy days and thank God for the wonder of His daily Bread. It certainly couldn't hurt. It might even help to remind us of the constant care of our Heavenly Father.