Tuesday, May 11, 2010
What Brings God Joy
Give us each day the food we need.
—Luke 11:3
Why is it that this all-knowing, all-powerful, omnipresent God who created the entire universe would care for you and me? As Job said, "What are people, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often?" (Job 7:17). Why would God care about our needs—even our wants? Why would He commit himself to providing our daily bread?
Many reasons could be cited, but I will throw out one that is significant: because He loves you. And guess what? He loves to bless you. Our God is generous. He is not stingy. God loves to bless you.
Jesus said, "So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom" (Luke 12:32). Yet He taught us to pray, "Give us each day the food we need" (Luke 11:3). Notice Jesus did not say, "Give us each month the food we need," or "Give us each year the food we need." Otherwise, we probably would call on Him only monthly or yearly. Instead, God arranges things in such a way so that we must depend on Him on a daily basis.
But another thing we acknowledge when we pray, "Give us each day the food we need," is that everything we have comes from God. Of course you can work hard. You can save and invest wisely. And you can buy your own food and clothes and pay for your house or your car or whatever else. But here is what you need to remember: it all came to you from God, no matter what. Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us, "Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful. . . . " The point is to acknowledge that everything you have comes from God.
Copyright © 2010 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
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