Posted in Connecting with God
Losing perspective is something every parent is guilty of. How many of us cringe at the thought of another fill-up that runs more than $50.00, or $75.00, or even higher? Perhaps I have more reason to cringe because my current income isn't nearly enough to meet our needs. I am perhaps, at this time, earning maybe a tenth of what I earned before. It is a scary experience. Yet I live with a supernatural God inside my heart. He knows what I face each day. He knows my needs better than I do. Strangely, I got the distinct impression the other day that God could hand me a bestseller novel to write that would ensure financial security for me and my children. I saw Him use me to bless others with a piece in a magazine and, really folks, if he could make a donkey talk, surely, I could bray out a few good plotlines or stories. Anyway, it is not in line with his vision for my life or my family's future, at least not today.
So much of the Lord's Prayer is good for life, with great perspective and few words so the understanding isn't muffed. The first request, after we praise God for Who He is, is "Give us today our daily bread." The focus is on the immediate need, and not on the 5-year financial plan. It's more of a demand, too. It's like a young child, saying "I'm hungry, Daddy." We need to be willing to cry out to God, to say, "Dad, the One Who rules everything! Could you please give us what we need?" Just as kids eat much better when fed by their parents than by themselves, we too eat much better when we seek God out and ask him to meet our needs for us.
The flip side of this is our obedience. If we ask him for sustenance, but are unwilling to lift a finger when He calls us to do something related to it, we shouldn't expect anything to come of our words. Patience, willingness, and obedience are all part of being His sons and daughters. The Spirit produces these things in our lives. All we have to do is commit to follow God and His way, and then walk it out.
This sounds so simple, yet in real life, this is what I still struggle to master. We can talk about walking in the glory or working our salvation out, but in the end, trusting God and searching for His perspective in our lives is where the rubber meets the road. Keep pursuing the right perspective with me!
So much of the Lord's Prayer is good for life, with great perspective and few words so the understanding isn't muffed. The first request, after we praise God for Who He is, is "Give us today our daily bread." The focus is on the immediate need, and not on the 5-year financial plan. It's more of a demand, too. It's like a young child, saying "I'm hungry, Daddy." We need to be willing to cry out to God, to say, "Dad, the One Who rules everything! Could you please give us what we need?" Just as kids eat much better when fed by their parents than by themselves, we too eat much better when we seek God out and ask him to meet our needs for us.
The flip side of this is our obedience. If we ask him for sustenance, but are unwilling to lift a finger when He calls us to do something related to it, we shouldn't expect anything to come of our words. Patience, willingness, and obedience are all part of being His sons and daughters. The Spirit produces these things in our lives. All we have to do is commit to follow God and His way, and then walk it out.
This sounds so simple, yet in real life, this is what I still struggle to master. We can talk about walking in the glory or working our salvation out, but in the end, trusting God and searching for His perspective in our lives is where the rubber meets the road. Keep pursuing the right perspective with me!
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