Daily Bread

I was walking the dog this morning and I noticed our neighbor had a small horse. I was kind of surprised to see a horse but why not? We live in the country and they have plenty of room for it. As I was walking it started to make a noise but it wasn’t a whinny.  It was a Hee-Haw.  This was a donkey or some variation of one.  It sort of freaked the dog out as she has never heard that sound and the donkey did not hold back on how long it held the very distinct noise.  

As I walked further, the Lord said, “I never expected you to live on stale bread.” Now, you might be wondering what one thing has to do with the other and I will explain. 

I’d always thought that I should be able to be a mature enough Christian not to “need” or “crave” seeing Him in my everyday life.  I was taught somewhere along the way that looking back at past victories and miracles should be enough to sustain me. So this morning when I was walking I was feeling a little bit like, “I want to see Him, but I should be content.” 

Do you remember when Balaam had a donkey talk to him?  God could not reach him in any other way so He enabled the donkey to speak to him. Well, the donkey this morning spoke to me!  He didn’t speak English, he spoke “donkey” but he relayed a message that allowed the Lord to tell me it was okay that I want to see the glory of the Lord in the land of the living.  Just like king David in Psalm 27:13 said, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”  

I know I need to remember the former things the Lord has done in my life but…it is not for me to ask for stale bread. This is how Jesus taught the disciples to pray.

Matthew 6:11 Give us today our daily bread.

He did not say,

(a) Give us today our stale bread

(b) Give us today a few crumbs

(c) Give us today some leftovers

(d) Give us today just enough to barely get by

No, He said give us today our daily bread.  And if you’re like me you may have grown up thinking that was all about food. But it’s not.  Our daily bread is also what we use to fill our soul, soul food so to speak, that allows us to be the best witnesses to a world so desperately in need of hope. Would it make sense for God to ask us to be witnesses for him then deny us the proper fuel to present Him properly to a watching world?  No one would run a program like that. Certainly not the head of the program.

There are time when discouragement hits and He may allow us to hurt and dig deep in seeking Him but again, it is not because He’s stingy or holding out on us. He wants us to grow our faith. Here is a truthful statement, “He wants us to prosper even more than we do.”

Look how ridiculous the following Scripture would read if we put in some other choices.

Matthew 6:9-13  “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.

            (Take your pick)

(a) Give us today our stale manna

(b) Give us today a few crumbs

(c) Give us today some leftovers

(d) Give us today just enough to barely get by
(e) Give us today our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

The donkey that moved in next door was a surprise for me.  The Lord was basically saying, “Expect the unexpected because I can do anything, at any time!  It is good to remember what I did yesterday but it is good for you to search for Me today and expect to find me.”

I don’t have to think something is wrong with my spiritual walk if I hunger for a fresh word from Him.  To hear His voice and know beyond a shadow of a doubt whose voice it was.  That is what I crave as my daily bread.