God’s Provision (Part I)

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:9b-11

One of the simplest and greatest declarations in the Bible is to ask the Lord for our daily bread! This child-like request shows that regardless of our age, maturity in God, and status in life, we are all in need of our heavenly Father, on daily basis, for His provision.

The very God who created the heavens and the earth is a generous provider for His people. We have a gracious and merciful Father who knows the needs of His children. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He is a wealthy Father who is able to take care of His children well (Psalm 50:10). Praise God for His provision!

Jesus taught His disciples, in the Lord’s prayer, to pray and ask for their daily bread. He did not teach them to ask for weekly or monthly bread.  The daily provision of God keeps us dependent on the Lord and helps us to look to Him for all things. The Israelites experienced this in the desert when they received their daily provision of manna and saw God’s goodness and kindness towards them. They were not supposed to save any extra manna except for the Sabbath (Exodus 16:4-26).

In Jesus’ time, people had not much control over their provision. Many people’s jobs were dependent on the right temperatures and the right circumstances to make a living. For example, the farmers had to work hard hoping that they will not be faced with bad weather or parasites that could ruin their fields. The fishermen had to go out everyday and hope to catch enough fish to sell and make a living. There were no guarantees that they would be able to produce enough.

In today’s system of economy, many people receive a paycheck from their employer once or twice a month. As a result, they are used to knowing that their daily bread is provided for. This causes some people not to think about the fact that God is still the provider of our daily bread whether we received the provision on daily basis or on monthly basis. I hope this pandemic is bringing the  awareness of God’s provision in life. As we have witnessed, the world economy can change very quickly regardless of how robust it may have been just a few months ago. We are all in need of His daily bread!

Today is a good day to think about His daily provision in our lives. Let’s praise God for His provision of health, protection, abilities, sound mind, and jobs that allow us to provide for ourselves and our families. Thank the Lord and share your testimony with others. There are many who are fearful and anxious about the future, and they need the encouragement and the assurance that God is their provider. The Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He has no lack. Praise God for His daily provision!