Rose Park Family,
Many of you know my mother, Kathy, works in the music department at Hope College. She’s been the administrator in the office for over twenty years. In that time she’s worked with faculty and staff from all over the world, helped students navigate the halls and their classes, and even moved from their previous location at the center of campus to the current location on the corner 10th St. and Columbia Ave. This past week, my mom sent me a link to one of Hope’s chapel services being led by Assistant Professor of Music Instruction and Director of Choral Activities, Eric Reyes.
If you have the time, I’d recommend you watch the video (the link is at the bottom of this letter). Eric beautifully leads worship from the piano and then speaks to the power of Jesus’ words found in Matthew 6:11. Jesus, in the midst of His most famous sermon and His teaching on prayer, offers these words, “give us this day our daily bread.” Eric testifies that often this notion of ‘daily bread’ scares him. He’d much rather have weekly, monthly, or even year bread. Amen to that Eric.
I’m sure all of us would feel more comfortable if we got a week’s supply of bread rather than just a days worth. With all the stresses of relationships, the busyness of schedules, and the difficulties of the future it would help us all to feel more secure if we got our portions a week in advance. But by asking and receiving a days worth it reminds us of our dependency on God. In other words, we are not fully self-sufficient; that might be scary for some of us to hear, but it is the reality of the human condition. We depend on God every day, so let us rejoice and go to God asking for our daily bread.
One or two of you reading this might be in need of your daily bread. If that’s the case, pray this prayer with me: Lord, I graciously ask for my daily bread. Help me to trust in Your provision each and every day; help me to believe that Your bread will suffice. Ease my worry and anxiety so that I can fully trust You at all times and in all places. Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark