Being a “daily bread” sort of guy
I confess that I have had a rough time with this petition over the last few years, but have worked through it recently. You see, I was raised in a conservative home where conservation of resources, saving for the future, having steady employment, and possessing a financial cushion was fundamental to life. It is an unforgiving world out there; you have to protect yourself and be self sufficient.
The year 2009 when the LIJ community folded I found myself out of work at the worst possible moment in recent economic history. It has been a glorious time in that God has provided for me and my family in so many ways. It has also been humbling in that He provided in ways that went against my pride. For instance, we were on food stamps for a whole year. God provided Kathy with a job nearby with medical benefits at just the crucial moment. I continue teaching part time, and by God’s grace we just get by … daily. Over the last 3 years I have had to wrestle with God over daily bread. There is that pressure within me to get my “profession” back to full time status, start building things up to where I no longer have to wonder where the money will come in to pay the bills. Though God was graciously providing for me on His terms, I wanted to provide for myself on my terms. I sort of resented being a “daily bread” sort of guy.
Recently, I have come to embrace the fact that I am a “daily bread” sort of guy. We all know what is behind this. God wants his people to be daily bread sort of people because this is the life of faith. Hording manna for the future always rots! We so easily fall into the trap that if we can just get more, just get over “the hump,” that it will be enough, but it never is. Sure, there are those few among us that rich and never have to wonder how the next bills will be paid, but this comes with dangers and temptations of its own. I am convinced that God did not make me wealthy in a financial sort of way because He could not trust me with it; I would self destruct!
How rich indeed, however, are the “daily bread” sort of people! There is always enough! We draw from God’s inexhaustible resources, learn humility, trust in God, and see Him work miraculously on a daily basis! Life now becomes all about God rather than all about us and our wants. Let us not complain and murmur about what God provides for us. Let us hallow our Father’s name who daily loads us with such wonderful and undeserving benefits!