Give us each day our daily bread. Luke 11:3
How well do you depend on God to meet your daily needs? Before you answer that question, you have to hear about George Mueller. He was born in the 1800s, and after attending a small group in college, he got serious about living for Jesus. He went home and told his parents that he planned to go into ministry and they immediately cut off the funding for his education, believing that he would always be poor. It was then that George got down on his knees and prayed for God to help him to fund his education. One hour later, a professor knocked on his door, offering him a paid tutoring job. This was the first of many miraculous situations for George as he depended on God.
George Mueller went on to rescue and care for over 10,000 orphans in Britain. The orphanages were utterly dependent upon God for their needs. On one occasion, they found themselves without food for 300 children. That morning, they got the kids dressed and seated them in the dining hall for breakfast. George prayed, and God met their needs supernaturally. Within minutes there was a baker who knocked at the door with fresh bread. After that, a man with a milk cart broke a wheel and offered to give the orphanage all the milk he had before it spoiled. These miracles were seen as George Mueller depended on God daily.
When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He reminded them to ask God to meet their needs daily. He knew that God was able to supply their every need if they were willing to ask and to depend upon Him. The disciples learned, like George Mueller, to lean on God and to trust that He was able to provide everything that they needed to survive. In that same way, our prayers have to include asking God to meet our needs.
The problem is that most of us are very self-sufficient. We would rather take matters into our own hands, and depend upon ourselves rather than looking to God. We create financial safety nets, plan for rainy days, and try to control all of our circumstances. When you live life this way, it creates enormous stress, and you may even have a hard time sleeping because the weight of the world is on your shoulders. If you are tired of living this way, maybe it is time to stop depending upon yourself, and instead, look to the God who is able to meet all your needs.
Have you put yourself in a place where you daily depend upon God to meet your needs? Here is a quick way to find out. What in your life do you need help with that is only possible through the power of God's intervention? Maybe it is a promise that you made to give financially to the church and you know there isn't room in your bank account for giving right now. It could be that God is calling you on a mission trip, but you have no idea how you could possibly afford it. It might be that you are a parent or you are married and you need God's help daily to handle your relationships. If you are single and hoping to be married, it might be time to pray that God would help you work on your character and then, when you are ready, ask Him to provide a spouse that loves God even more than you do. Take some time to journal about how you are trusting God to meet your needs every day.
Read Proverbs 30:1-9 (NLT)
The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.
I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.
Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists?Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world?What is his name—and his son’s name? Tell me if you know!
Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
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