In Search Of A Better Tomorrow

Daily Devotional: Time Alone With God – Giving Only Our Daily Bread

by Pastor Phil Stout

Proverbs 30:7-9

New International Version (NIV)

Consider: I’ll have to admit, I can’t remember the last time I prayed, “Give me neither poverty nor riches” (30:8). I think all of us, in some manner, have asked God to keep us from falling into poverty. But I’m guessing very few of us have asked God to make sure we never get rich. (I mean, have you ever heard of someone buying a lottery ticket and praying that it wasn’t a winner?) But read the next line. It sounds very familiar.

“…but give me only my daily bread.” (30:8)

We call the Book of Proverbs part of the “Wisdom Literature” of the Old Testament. And the writer is truly giving us some wise counsel as we listen in on his conversation with God. He’s afraid that money will become an idol—that he will find his sufficiency in material wealth—and that when that happens he will “disown” God (30:9). That kind of person is described as asking a strange question—“Who is the Lord?” (30:9). It shows that there are other gods competing for his allegiance.

And so the wisdom writer decides that the best course of action is to simply pray for his “daily bread.” I believe God agrees with his wisdom, for God chose to give only enough manna for one day at a time, and Jesus taught us to pray with the same words—“Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11).

Pray:
“Our Father in heaven,
Holy is your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”