Seeking God's Daily Provision.

All our daily needs come to us from the hand of God. But often times we simply don't seek His help in the ways we need.

Think about the last time you were noticeably hungry.

It shouldn't be too challenging as it is a bodily sensation we encounter on a daily basis. You may even be experiencing it as you read this. Consider the sharp, stabbing ache of hunger pangs. Alongside the physical discomfort, hunger also demonstrates behavioral effects. You may have heard of the term 'hangry' or come across those absurd Snickers commercials where individuals behave like psychos, only for the 7000 grams of sugar in a Snickers bar to restore their normal behavior. Hunger often leads to irritability, drains our energy, and leaves us feeling fatigued. Moreover, hunger impairs our cognitive abilities, hindering our clarity of thought and reasoning.

My point is that hunger exerts profound effects on us. These effects are like a siren inside of us signaling:

WE!

NEED!

FOOD!

Hunger serves as an indication of a need.

However, this particular need cannot be fulfilled by anything internal. Merely thinking about it does not resolve the feeling of hunger. It necessitates an external element, such as food, to satisfy it. This fundamental example directs us to Jesus' prayer in Matthew 6, specifically verse 11, where He instructs us to pray as follows:

'Give us today our daily bread.'

Let’s apply the three questions we have been contemplating to this petition:

What do these words say about God?

The fact that we are required to implore Him for our daily necessities demonstrates that God is our provider, as the scripture also affirms.

In Psalm 23:1 King David writes, “The LORD is my shepherd; I have what I need.”

Again in Psalm 146:5-7 we read, “Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob…He remains faithful forever, executing justice for the exploited and giving food to the hungry.”

In Luke 12:24 Jesus says, “Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds?”

In Philippians 4:19 the Apostle Paul writes, “And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

We could go on and on, but we’d continue coming back to the exact same truth:

God is Jehovah Jireh, God our provider.

Everything we need flows to us from gentle and generous hand of God.

What do these words say about us?

If Matthew 6:11 teaches us that God is the provider of our daily needs, it also implies that we are dependent upon Him. In 2 Corinthians 6:18, God says, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me...”

I have three kids, and the moment a child comes into your life, you learn an unnerving lesson: that child is solely dependent on you for absolutely everything. They were most dependent as infants, but even now that they’re teenagers, they still rely on us for so much in their daily lives.

I believe it would greatly benefit us to remember that God, our perfect Father, calls us His children. Children are dependent on their parents, and we are dependent on God for our daily needs.

Unfortunately, we are often prone to believe the lie that we can somehow position ourselves to avoid ever being dependent on anyone, for anything.

The problem is that this hyper-independence hinders our intimacy with God.

He designed us to depend on Him for everything. This doesn’t mean we aren’t resilient, competent, and strong. It simply means we were not designed to flourish apart from dependence on God.

Rather than resisting our dependence on God's provision, this prayer invites us to embrace it.

How might we more faithfully pray like this?

So, how can we fully embrace our dependence on God? We can look to Jesus as our example and follow his demonstration! One way is through regularly seeking God's help by petitioning Him for our daily needs. In doing so, we can envision each day as if the Father Himself is asking us,

However, at times, we may find ourselves uncertain about what exactly we need. Therefore, allow me to present four significant ways in which we rely on God on a daily basis. Please note that this list is not exhaustive, but it highlights four essential aspects of our dependency on God each day:

1. We are physically dependent on God.

Allow me to remind you, without intending to insult your intelligence, that the request for "daily bread" extends beyond the literal need for food. While food is undoubtedly a fundamental requirement, the significance of this request goes much deeper. Nonetheless, we should not overlook the essence of Jesus' plea. Therefore, as you contemplate this request, I encourage you to seek guidance from the Holy Spirit, who can reveal any physical needs you may have for that particular day. Such needs may include food, shelter, financial support, clothing, or any other bodily requirement. Since our daily necessities are ultimately provided by God, it is fitting to approach Him daily and ask for His provision in meeting our physical needs.

2. We are spiritually dependent on God.

Let me highlight a specific example that emphasizes our spiritual dependency on God: Grace. In Ephesians 2:8-9, the Apostle Paul writes, "For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift—not from works, so that no one can boast." Grace represents our fundamental spiritual necessity, which we do not earn, but rather receive. It not only saves us but also sustains us. Every aspect of our daily requirements is provided by God, so it is important to approach Him each day, seeking the fulfillment of our spiritual needs, whatever they may be.

3. We are emotionally dependent on God.

Let's take anxiety as an example. Anxiety is a prevalent daily reality that afflicts many, if not most people's lives. In fact, almost 20% of American adults have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, totaling more than 40 million individuals. Even for the remaining 80% without a diagnosed disorder, each of us is acquainted with the feeling of anxiety. We often worry about our children, marriages, finances, jobs, and our future—essentially, everything in our lives that is beyond our immediate control.

In addressing this universal experience, the Apostle Paul provides insight in Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Notice that Paul indicates the antithesis of anxiety, which is peace, emanates from God. This tells us that God does not solely intend for us to reason our way out of daily anxiety but rather to seek solace through prayer.

(Note: Please do not confuse what I refer to as "daily anxiety" with an anxiety disorder. A disorder requires the attention of a qualified medical professional, therapy, and often medication. Thank you for understanding the distinction.)

Since all our daily needs are given to us by the hand of God, it is crucial to approach Him daily and request His provision for our emotional well-being.

4. We are behaviorally dependent on God.

Consider Paul's list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. He writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control...”. It's important to note that these are the fruit of the Spirit, not our natural flesh. These characteristics cannot be self-generated; they are produced through the working of the Spirit. Since our daily needs are provided by God, it is essential to ask each day to fulfill our behavioral needs. Request that He cultivates this Jesus-like fruit within us.

5. We are intellectually dependent on God.

Life is filled with complicated and complex issues. I'm not just talking about things like advanced physics or math (I struggle with basic math and so far not even God has been able to help me. JK. I haven’t prayed about it. I’ve just decided I suck at it.) I'm referring more to the daily decisions we face, such as how to handle complicated relationships, where to live, whether or not to pursue a promotion, what to do for work in the first place, and how to raise kids in this challenging world we're all trying to navigate. Almost every day, we encounter situations where we are uncertain about what course of action to take.

In these cases, it is important to rely on prayer. James writes, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). This is an incredible promise! God assures us that He will provide the wisdom we need to thrive in this world. However, this wisdom isn't given to us the moment we surrender our lives by faith to Jesus. Rather, wisdom is something that God distributes to us as we need it each day. Our daily intellectual needs come from the hand of God, so we should actively seek His guidance and ask Him to provide us with the wisdom we require.

EXPERIENTIAL

There is an abundance of ways to put this prayer into practice, but let me close by inviting you to experiment with the way I do. Every morning when I sit with God, I imagine Him asking me this question:

“What do you need from me today?”

Then, I reflect on my upcoming day. I consider the tasks I need to complete before leaving the house, such as being present for my family and assisting them wherever I can. I review my calendar and the tasks I need to accomplish during the day. I ask God to help me think clearly and be productive as I study and write. I seek His wisdom for any meetings I may have. I request His energy to connect meaningfully with my family in the evening, especially after spending the day apart. I pray for a good night's sleep. Essentially, I take the time to contemplate my day and ask God for the assistance I believe I will require.

It's truly that simple.

A helpful addition to this prayer practice would be to engage in the prayer of Examen at the end of each day, reflecting on all the instances where God was at work throughout the day. This combination of seeking God's help and acknowledging His provision has a powerful impact on both our attitude towards the effectiveness of prayer and our desire to continue seeking God's guidance.

Let's resist the inclination towards self-dependence and instead embrace our dependence on the Father, who eagerly desires to provide for our daily needs.

A simple way to engage…

What is one thing you need from God this week?