The first daily bread to come down from heaven was for the Israelites in the desert, as told in Exodus 16. It covered the desert every morning, was called manna, and tasted like wafers made with honey. The Israelites gathered the manna for 40 years as they roamed through the desert. The day after they reached the promised land, the manna stopped appearing and never appeared again. In John 6, Jesus said that the bread of life is from God and comes down to gives life to the world. Jesus declared himself to be the true bread of life.
The Israelites had bread to sustain them thought their wandering in the desert. Once they entered the promised land that bread was no longer provided. Now, for over two-thousand years we have the true bread of life, who will come in sit down and eat with us. Revelation 3:20. If we choose to follow and trust Jesus, he is ours and we are his. He will never leave us or forsake us. We will never be alone or without God’s favor.
In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us how we should pray. This model prayer, the Lord’s prayer includes the request to be given our daily bread. It is interesting that we are not told to ask for a ten-year supply, or even a ten-day supply but for today’s bread. Jesus often told his followers to be concerned for today and not to worry about tomorrow. In Matthew 6:31-34, Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat, or wear, for God’s knows what we need and will provide for us. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Many of us worry about things beyond our physical needs. The less tangible, but more costly things, such as reputation, courage, and wisdom. We want to do what is right, best, or Godly, but we fear what we may lose in the process. Throughout human history, many people have stood with God against evil and suffered greatly for their determination. Even those who trusted God with all they had, still lost their lives. Others lived on and reaped the blessings of their struggles. Many of these stories are written in history books. Joan of Arc. Bonhoeffer. George Washington. William Wilberforce. Harriet Tubman. And countless others. Even Saul who became Paul suffered greatly in the first century to spread the Christian faith and change the world. 2 Corinthians 11:22-29.
Many of us will never be written into history books, but we still fight battles big and small to bring God’s saving love into the world. God will never abandon us. God will give us what we need for today. We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we do know who holds us and who can and does control tomorrow. God promises to give us words to speak as we need them, Matthew 10:19, Mark 13:11, Luke 12:11. These verses pertain to the most difficult of circumstances. But God will also do this in simpler circumstances, such as talking to a neighbor, a boss, a politician, or any random hot head on the street. We just need to keep praying and asking Jesus to control our tongues, to help us experience peace instead of retaliation, to give us wisdom to handle the difficult people in our lives. There is no person, thing, or situation that God cannot handle, turn around, set straight, or strike with lightening.
God’s wisdom and view into the future far out-reaches our limited view of reality and problems. God will share his wisdom with us, one day at a time, one conversation at a time. In Luke 12:15 Jesus says, “For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” Acts 6:10 says, “ But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.” Paul said in Ephesians 1:17, “
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” In Colossians 1:19 Paul says, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.”
The Holy Spirit also gives the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Praying for these to be given to you every day and working with God to develop these in your life, can dramatically change how you see problems. Because these are fruits and not gifts, we have to work the soil and water the ground where the fruit is planted. Then rather than having one piece of fruit we will possess an abundant fruit tree and even orchards of fruit trees. When we are willing to work, pray, and develop what God has given us, these things can multiply beyond our imagination.
When we develop the fruits of the Spirit in our heart and soul, the abundance can be used to feed and help others. If you know how to be peaceful in the midst of the storm, you can share this learning with others. When you experience the joy which defies understanding, you can explain this to others. If you possess self-control in difficult circumstances, you can lead others out of the fire and show them how to find the help that is needed. Gentleness and kindness can be a soothing balm for others in today’s fighting and struggling world.
In Matthew 7:7, Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” God is willing to give us what we need if we are willing to pray and follow him. He does not always tell us what is at the finish line. But he is faithful and willing to walk the journey with us. Always at our side. Always ready with a word of encouragement. Always ready to share his wisdom.
It helps to do a Bible search on words such as wisdom, tongue, peace, self-control, faithfulness, and miracles. Read biographies on Christians of the past. Pray continually. Most importantly, keep asking Jesus for daily help to accomplish what he wants you to accomplish.