Thoughts for Life: A HOLY HANDOUT: HE SAID, SHE SAID +

     “Give us today our daily bread.” - Matthew 6:11

A Holy Handout - He Said

     "The gift of daily bread is not free. It comes at the cost of a man’s soul. Oh, I don’t mean 'soul' as in our eternal resting place. I mean the essence of a man, the twinkle in his eye and spring in his step. A handout, even a holy one, robs him of his self-worth.

     A few years back I lost my job. When I was young, employed and moving up the corporate ladder, I bragged of how I’d never take government charity. That was for folks too lazy to work. But then my wife compared our bills to our bank statement and began to cry. I swallowed my pride and took a hand out. I became a smaller man.

     Sure, relying on God for our daily bread leads us closer to Him. When we receive our daily manna, His fingers brush against the palms of our hands, but the charity leaves us broken, driven to our knees and humble. We may be created in the image of God but we are not gods. We’re just men and women destined for the grave.

     “…Father, Give us today our daily bread,” the husband prays. Rising from his knees he gathers the tattered remains of his pride and stands before the flap of his tent. He waits for manna to fall from heaven and watches as quail perch on the ground. Then he moves among the children of the desert camp, gathering his daily bread, unable to lift his eyes from the dirt to look up and say “thanks.”

     I wish Christ had commanded us to ask God for our daily work, but he did not. Daily bread is what we get. So I say, 'Thanks, God. Thanks a lot.' Daily provision beats poverty and feasting on pride leaves us wanting. But in the secret place where only God sees my tears, I pray and ask that he send work, too. As a man, as a husband and father, my soul starves. I want to contribute, Lord. I want to work, if not for you, then for others.

     A handout is fine, but a hand up is better. Help someone today find enjoyment through employment.

     One Minute Meditations for the culturally challenged and spiritually stuck. Daily devotions from the perspective of one man and one woman, delivered online and by email that inspire you to move beyond the 'busy-ness' of life into an intimate relationship with God through an interactive friendship with the Father. Christian Devotions takes Christ from the heavens and places him in your heart.

* * * * * *   * * *
I'm Hungry - She Said

     “Give us today our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11

     "The door to the pantry tempted me. Who’d think a door could tempt – the evil thing! But it did. My stomach ached from hunger. As I crossed my arms and stared at the wooden door, opening it meant my needs would be met. Well…not so much my needs as my cravings.

     I’ve been losing weight and for the life of me, I can’t understand when I’m NOT dropping the pounds like I’d hoped. I turned my back on the door, and trudged to my desk, grabbed my water bottle and kicked up my feet. 'Just write,' I thought. 'But I’m hungry.' Both sides of my brain battled, taunting one another. My stomach growled.

     Recently I’ve experienced a good deal of fulfillment—been to the mountain top and come down with abundant blessings. Yet in the midst of the blessings there is a hunger that can’t be quenched.
Last weekend my vacuum cleaner died. The cost of that hunger pain—$378. The shelves in the pantry thinned and the cost to feed my family—$187. I’d been traveling for three weeks so my tithes were behind. The cost of saying “Thanks God!” - $300. Oh, and I’d visited the Urgent Care Clinic due to a rash of blessings I’d received from that mountain top experience – poison ivy. The cost of worshiping God in His creation - $197.

     So when Christ says, 'Ask the Father to give us our daily bread, ' I wonder, is that enough? Is that all there is to it?

     God always comes through, but sometimes He’s slow. I find myself tapping my fingers on the desk impatiently, worrying and wondering why or how the needs will be met when I’m already operating in the red.

     As I sat at my desk, scratching that itch on my leg, I recalled how He’d filled my heart with joy on the mountain top, how I’d come down with blessings to numerous to count. 'So why,' I wondered, 'do I question His timing and goodness?'

     The Father knows my needs. He’s aware of the desires of my heart and my longing to serve Him, yet even in my plate of blessing, I still hunger. And all He asks is that I trust and obey.

     I’ve yet to do without. So, today as my stomach growls and I look at my check book and pray, “Give me this day, my daily bread.” God whispers. Daily, Cin. I provide for you daily. Trust me.
It really is that simple.

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio's Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. Eddie and Cindy travel and speak at conferences across the country and they are available to speak at your church or conference. Contact them at cindy@christiandevotions.us.

Used by permission www.christiandevotions.us

Today’s 11th truth: If you are “born again”, you are led by the Spirit of God. (Rom. 8:14)