the Lord's Prayer: today
give us today/this day...
why only today? why doesn't Jesus have me pray about tomorrow's needs or next week's?
at the end of chapter 6 in Matthew's gospel Jesus tell us, "So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own." (NET)
that's true. i think part of the issue is we are only given today. we are not promised tomorrow. this principle is repeated over and over.
James tells us in chap. 4 "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes."
talk about getting the reality smack down. by adding one word, "today," Jesus reminds me again of my humble estate. every other word in this prayer reminds me of my weakness and my need and my dependence on my Father. in this sentence we are asking Him to provide for us what is so easily grasped by some of us, bread, yet so far from others.
Yesterday i taught a Bible study at work on 2 Peter 3. Peter writes, "Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness, while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides."
Today is a shadow. Eternity is the reality. Earth is a taste. Heaven is the meal. Here it's bread. There its a banquet. Here the Spirit is like wind. There the spiritual is tangible.
When i pray this, i'm reminded i only have today. I'm like the children of Israel in the wilderness gathering up manna. he who gathered much had enough for the day and he who gathered little had enough for the day.
Give us enough for today Father.
why only today? why doesn't Jesus have me pray about tomorrow's needs or next week's?
at the end of chapter 6 in Matthew's gospel Jesus tell us, "So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own." (NET)
that's true. i think part of the issue is we are only given today. we are not promised tomorrow. this principle is repeated over and over.
James tells us in chap. 4 "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes."
talk about getting the reality smack down. by adding one word, "today," Jesus reminds me again of my humble estate. every other word in this prayer reminds me of my weakness and my need and my dependence on my Father. in this sentence we are asking Him to provide for us what is so easily grasped by some of us, bread, yet so far from others.
Yesterday i taught a Bible study at work on 2 Peter 3. Peter writes, "Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness, while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides."
Today is a shadow. Eternity is the reality. Earth is a taste. Heaven is the meal. Here it's bread. There its a banquet. Here the Spirit is like wind. There the spiritual is tangible.
When i pray this, i'm reminded i only have today. I'm like the children of Israel in the wilderness gathering up manna. he who gathered much had enough for the day and he who gathered little had enough for the day.
Give us enough for today Father.
Comments