Give us this day our daily bread...

Matthew 6:9-13 (NASB)..."Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven. Hallowed by 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 debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.']

You've never really thought too much about it, have you? Yeah, me neither. Don't get me wrong, I've prayed it, I've recited it, I've even cross stitched onto a bookmark, but have I ever really thought about what the words mean? Not until recently, I haven't. Then, it happened. The economy has affected everyone, including the church. When no one has a job, no one tithes. When no one tithes, there is no money in God's house. When there's no money...well, I think you get the picture. So, that means I'm one of the ones who got the half boot. I say "half boot" because I was cut to part-time, not let go completely. Hummm, doesn't really feel all that different though. Truth is, cut is cut. Which brings us to our title..."Give us this day our daily bread". When you've lost the ability to fend for yourself, you feel alone. It's amazing how quickly your "friends" forget your phone number when you have the "plaque" of being unemployed. They don't want to catch it, I guess. What's even harder is when you've worked in the ministry and lost your job. What's the toughest of all is when you helped to start the church where you were employed and still get cut out of it. Talk about your rude awakening! Not only do you feel like your friends have left you, you begin to wonder if God has also. Now that's feeling alone!

Talk about your world getting rocked! I've been in a surreal state of mind for weeks now. Is this really happening? Who made this stupid decision? Why me? What about so and so? He sucks at his job! Why not the slacker? Why not cut the salaries of everyone and allow all of us to keep our jobs? I guess I've wondered everything that can be wondered. Now, back to the real issue at hand. What does this daily bread thing REALLY mean?

As I've searched and prayed and yelled and cried out to God, a few things have begun to become clearer. I've always been an ant. No, I didn't misspell it, I meant to type ant, not aunt. I'm an ant. I work hard to prepare for the coming winter. While the grasshoppers are bouncing around frolicking in the sun all summer, we ants are hard at work, heads down, noses to the grindstone, storing up for what's coming. I've learned three things about us ants...the first, the grasshoppers will always show up our doorsteps looking for the basics in order to live through the winter at the first snowfall. Secondly, as ants, we will always feel obligated to help the grasshoppers out. Thirdly and finally, because ants will always get the job done, we are overlooked and easily dismissed because we don't have to frantically scrounge around to get the job done. Stinks, but there it is. Now how does that relate to our subject? Being an ant and being unemployed?!?!?! Oh my goodness! How can this be?!?!?! God, what do I do now?!?!?!?

That's when it started to dawn on me..."give us this day our daily bread". Yep, the economy stinks. Yep, I've got incredibly hurt feelings with my church. Yes, the whole thing has caused so many staff members at my church to fall off of their pedestals in my eyes. Yep, that makes me angry. Yep, I want to give up on ministry. Yep, I want to give up on God, no wait a minute. No, no it has not made me give up on God. He has done too much for me to give up on Him. Salvation alone would have been more than I ever could have hoped for yet He made us promises for this life too! Can you believe that? It's inconceivable, yet it's true. I've placed it all in His hands. I've always been the ant with His ministry as well; head down, work to do. I've never questioned what He wanted, I've just worked and followed "the rules", knowing that it would all work out well because He would honor my diligence. Now, however, I'm learning what Jesus meant when He told us to pray for our daily bread. Grasshopper, ant...it doesn't mean anything to Him. He has it all. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He promised to take care of me. I've put each day in His hands. He's fully aware of my budget needs. He knows when the bills are due. He can't get out of taking care of me. He has obligated Himself to each of us, if we have given our lives to Him, to be our Provider, our Strength, our Strong Tower, our Avenger, our Father. He's taking care of me each day. He has provided work so that I can earn a living with which I honor Him with the first fruits of that labor going back to Him. Sure, I could take this scary economic time and say that I can't tithe because I may not have any more money coming in, but that's not faith. In faith, I give back and in His promises, He takes care of my every need. He is worthy of our praise and worship. Honor Him with your life, your heart and your soul and He will take care of everything you need.

Angie