Daily Bread

I spent a lot of years of my life living under the law, living for religion, without knowing it. I was saved, and my heart’s intent was good. I wanted to know God and I wanted to please Him, but I was going about it all wrong. Later in life, I learned, through grace, that even “good” things, “Godly” things can be “works.” 

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgement and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].” 

You CANNOT earn it. You can’t pray enough, go to church enough, listen to “Christian” music enough, or hand out enough gospel tracks to save your soul. 

I remember a period in my life, just before I understood this revelation, when I felt so far from the Lord. I wanted so badly to know Him, to hear Him, to feel Him, but I didn’t. I struggled, and fretted, and worried, and worked. Yes, I worked. I went to more worship services. I did more devotionals. More Bible studies. Fasted. Went to prayer meetings. You name it, in the “Christian” world, and I was doing it. And the more I did, the further I felt from Him. The further I was from Him. I didn’t understand it at the time. After all, I was trying so hard. Though, now, I understand. 

“It was for this freedom that Christ has set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed].” Galatians 5:1

After I had gained this newfound freedom, I was determined not to “be subject again to a yoke of slavery,” so a lot of the things I was doing before, I stopped. One of the things I stopped doing was reading my Bible and having “quiet time,” just so I could check it off the list. I needed to give myself some time to de-program and rest in His grace. And just in case anyone out there is getting worried about me…… it was a this point in my life where I started to love Jesus more than I ever had. 

Fast forward a few years, and I started sensing the Lord nudging me back to these things, especially reading my Bible and making it a priority to take time to silence everything else in my life in order to hear Him. 

One Sunday, my pastor spoke about two altars. First was the personal altar, where you get your instruction and sacrifice your wishes, will and wisdom to hear God. You deny yourself. Second was the corporate altar, where you worship God in unity, and everyone is in agreement, heart, mind and soul. He made this statement that spoke volumes to me: “You’ll never be effective at the second altar, until you deal with the first altar. The problem with church is that people haven’t gone to the first altar.” 

I knew I needed to go to the first altar. This time, however, I was going because I wanted to, not because it was on the to do list. I was going, and I still go, because I love Him, and because I want a real relationship with the one, true God, not the law He died to free us from. 

Shortly after I’d made this “full circle” in my life, I was reading and praying one day when I clearly heard the Lord say, “He calls you to the altar for YOU, not for Him.” In this moment was the realization that the God of the universe, does not need me. He gains nothing from me coming to the altar, but I gain everything. He calls me to the altar for me. Because He has something for me: daily bread. 

The Lord showed me, recently, that every day, every single day, He prepares something for me and brings it to the table. Then He calls me to the “altar,” to the “table,” because He wants to give me something, show me something, tell me something, encourage me, love me, spend time with me, and every day He shows up, big banquet table, fresh baked bread, and waits for me. But when I CHOOSE not to go, I miss out. The next day, He shows up again with something new, (not what I missed from yesterday), and whatever I didn’t show up for the day before, I didn’t get to taste. I missed out, because He calls you to the table for you, not for Him. 

What are we exchanging our daily bread for? What other gods are we worshiping with our time, thoughts and attention? What are we prioritizing over Him? What is more important than coming to the table with Jesus? 

Are you praying for or asking God for something? Are you wondering why He isn’t answering or providing? And is it possible that maybe, just maybe, He prepared it, and you didn’t show up?