Friday Grace

“This, then is how you should pray:  ‘Our Father in Heaven…give us this day our daily bread’” Matthew 6:9, 11.

This was a portion of the prayer that Jesus taught to the disciples as an example of how they should pray to the Father.   This particular portion stood out to me today in remembering tough and painful times in my past.  Our daily bread is that precious grace that is required to get us through our suffering and challenging circumstances, tear by tear and fear by fear.  It is the food from God for our faith and is not a single serving to digest but an on-going fare of the day.  His daily bread serves us with whatever our hearts are aching for in that moment alone. 

Jesus was aware that we would have to keep going back to the Father continually for His provisions…the man who must go back to chemo day after day…the woman who must return to a job she hates day after day…a weary couple who awakens to the reality their daughter is on drugs day by day…a son who is consistently told he will amount to nothing day after day.

When my sister was dying my dad just didn’t feel he would be able to endure her passing and acceptance just couldn’t be reconciled for him.  I will never forget when God arose from His throne and spoke through the chaplain of Hospice.  It was a message from the One who formed this prayer a few thousand years ago.  The chaplain comforted Daddy with the most beautiful statement that echoes this prayer.  He said, ‘Don, don’t look for April grace in February.’  This translation was God encouraging Daddy with the words, ‘My sweet and precious Donald, I am giving you what you need for today alone, and when I bring Beth home to me I will give you what you need for that day.’

Michael Kelley, the author of Faith Limps writes:  “Trusting God is something we must consciously choose many times during the day, especially on those days when we’re fighting to hold on to faith…This is part of what makes the work of faith so hard – that you must persevere in believing in God, day in and day out, and in believing that He will give you what you need” p. 96-97.

Whatever your walk is today…whatever your heart yearns for this morning…take it to our Father and believe that daily grace will be matched according to your daily needs.  ‘Our Father in Heaven…give us Friday grace.’