Thursday, November 13, 2008

Give Us This Day

I thought I'd freak everyone out and actually do a quick post, since I've been kinda missing in action for...well, a while.
"Give us this day"--it seems pretty simple. It's even almost redundantly emphasized in the most repeated prayer of all time, as it reads "...give us this DAY our DAILY bread...." I'm learning more about what it means to have provision as I actually need it. I've always tried to be the plan way out guy (or sometimes the way-out plan guy, maybe), and do things as safely as humanly possible. As our plans go different directions than intended, it gives God yet another opportunity to step in and show His power.
Interestingly, looking further at scripture, it's often God's plan to step in at the last moment, when things appear to be going quite badly for his children as they do EXACTLY what He instructed. I'm sure some stories come to your mind from both the Old and New Testament.
In fact, Jennifer and I came across another one of those last night in Exodus 5, where in verse 22 and 23, it says, "Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."
He had no idea what was about to come and the deliverance God would bring, if Moses remained faithful to the call.
I wonder what would have happened of Moses had actually given up. It might not have turned out so well. It makes me think that as we're given clear direction from God, we probably shouldn't give up either, no matter what the opposition seems to bring.