Bread for the JourneySample

Today God is With Me

Talking about today means talking about the present. Yesterday is gone, so there's not much we can do about it. Tomorrow, which is what will be, hasn't arrived yet. But today, this present moment before us, holds God's promises for us, His children.

His Word encourages us to value it and use it wisely. When we open our eyes in the morning, we face our present with promises and opportunities, with the continual presence of the Most High God in our lives.

When God supplied the manna in the wilderness for the people of Israel, their portion was daily. God didn't give them enough for the next day, and if anyone tried to save it, it would spoil. It was a sign of distrust—it was a "just in case" God didn't give them tomorrow's supply—it was a lack of faith.

God has given us the living bread that came down from heaven, Jesus Christ. A bread that satisfies us every day and all the days until the end of the world. Today, He supplies me, today He holds and sustains me, not only with physical bread but with the bread that satisfies my soul. Today, Jesus is enough for me, and He will be enough tomorrow, too.

One of the important functions the Levites had in their service to God is described in 1 Chronicles 23:30, "They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise in the evening." (NIV) Today, as we stand in our present, praising God and thanking Him for all His goodness toward us is a sign that, despite the circumstances we may be facing, our grateful heart worships Him.

That is not something the enemy wants us to do; his plan is to discourage us, so we don't feel like worshipping Him and lose sight of God's goodness toward us.

King David was not unaware of the enemy's schemes, which is why he said to himself: “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (Psalm 103:2, NIV)

Our present is life, it is a blessing, it is joy, it is the certainty that we serve an Almighty God who loves us and lives in us. He has new mercies every day: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (Lamentations 3:22-24, NIV)

Embrace your present hand-in-hand with the Lord, God with us at all times. When God advises us not to worry about tomorrow because each day has enough trouble of its own, He is leading us to an attitude of resting in Him. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34, NIV) The thoughts that crowd our minds about what is not yet affect our peace. But the certainty that today I have God's help, which sustains and cares for me, helps me rest in the fact that God will do the same for me tomorrow.

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal." (Isaiah 26:3-4, NIV)