And it is totally consistent that a life focused this way enjoys great confidence in relationship with God. Murray's point here ought not be missed: Do you wonder whether God understands your needs? Whether He knows or cares? If you are His child, you have direct assurance from the Word on this point (Matthew 6:32-33), and our assurance is tied directly to our correct understanding of this Divine priority.
But understanding that, Our Teacher wants us to understand, feel... enjoy confidence in knowing that our Father will provide for our needs. Where ever you are today, God knows your need... and if He is your Father, you can have confidence and assurance that He will provide all that is needed for you. When you think about how little we rely in practice on this truth, it is astonishing!
If you are His child, do you doubt His willingness or ability to take care of you? "...seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
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"‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ When first the child has yielded himself to the Father in the care for His Name, His Kingdom, and His Will, he has full liberty to ask for his daily bread. A master cares for the food of his servant, a general of his soldiers, a father of his child.
And will not the Father in heaven care for the child who has in prayer given himself up to His interests?
We may indeed in full confidence say: Father, I live for Thy honour and Thy work; I know Thou carest for me.
Consecration to God and His will gives wonderful liberty in prayer for temporal things: the whole earthly life is given to the Father’s loving care."
2 comments:
Wes,
This is something that has hit me hard as I pray the Lord's Prayer several times a day. "Give us this day our daily bread" is the ONLY request for ANYTHING material in the entire prayer! We pray for forgiveness and we ask God not to lead us into temptation but there is nothing else! Yet we persist in praying for all kinds of THINGS! What's with that? We won't fully understand prayer until we are satisfied with our daily bread and nothing more!
"Oh sure. You're a pastor. You're supposed to be poor and broke. You just don't understand the perspective of people who are in business or in some other careers. You don't know how hard it is to keep up with our neighbors in Tysonia or its neighboring suburb. It's easy for you to say things like that! Where's your faith? If you ask God for anything in faith you will receive it!"
"Give us this day our daily bread."
Always your brother,
Dave
Dave,
You're right - and especially so in America (or the west). What are our needs after all?
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
By the way, I don't know if you have ever seen the book "Hungry Planet," but Time featured pictures from the book last June... showing what families eat around the world during a week. I know this will be a surprise, but we likely eat more than most of the rest of the world combined! Here's a link to the photos - Part I, Part II and Part III - very interesting!
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