God Is Our Provision by Shalene

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13 KJV

I have discovered something recently, that I don't know how I managed to miss in all this time. That is: the concept of "daily bread". I never really got what this meant. Now, for a little background: some of you know that I grew up in a household that was Catholic, and did learn some of the prayers that went along with that practice, and learned how to say my rosaries, and everything. However, it was always by rote, that I said them. They meant nothing. I did not realize that one of the prayers- the Lord's Prayer, was something that was actually in the Bible. I also did not know that "bread" did not mean literally "bread."

What does it mean then, you ask?

Our daily bread is His Holy Word. I read something today, that really put this in perspective. It is from the study that I am doing right now, of Beth Moore's book "A Woman's Heart God's Dwelling Place." In it she states:

How deeply our Provider wants us to recognize that He is our daily provision. Our lives could never be sustained on a once-a-week meal; yet we often expect a hearty Sunday serving to be enough to sustain spiritual growth.

How true that is! How often do we expect our church's sermons to give us the information we need to grow spiritually, and then never really bother to crack open our Bibles for ourselves.

Now, thankfully, that is no longer the case for me, most of the time, thanks to these articles I write for you- my readers. I want to thank you all for that. By reading what I am led to write, you are helping me to grow. Ok, now back to my point.

So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3 NKJV

Are you living? Or are you dying? Do you fill yourself up each day with the only Provision that is necessary for a Spirit filled life? Remember, one of the many names of our Lord is Jehovah-Jireh "God will provide." Do you trust Him each day to provide for you? Or do you rely on yourself?

I've also learned another powerful truth, since becoming a Christ follower, and that is that so long as I rely on myself, I fail. When I rely on Him, my life is blessed beyond compare. I do not worry about tomorrow, for today has worry enough of it's own. (Matthew 6:34 NKJV)

Focus on these Scripture verses today:

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. Psalm 139:1-6 NKJV

Lord, I thank you each day, that You are my provision, daily. If I focus on You, and the things that are of You, I cannot go wrong. I will become more like You in all that I do and say. I will become the effective witness that You created me to be. I thank You Lord, that You always have my best interests in Your Divine Plan. I pray these things in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.