Daily Dependence

In 1970, during the Apollo 13 mission to the moon, an oxygen tank ruptured. It quickly went from an exploration mission to do what it takes to survive. With limited oxygen, limited power and limited resources, the crew had to depend on Mission Control for each move they made. Engineers on the ground began calculating and figuring out what the astronauts needed to survive. They figured out how to construct an air filter with what the astronauts had on board and walked them through step by step to create it. The astronauts completely depended on Mission Control to help them make it to earth safely. Their dependence on Mission Control wasn’t considered weakness. It was their way home.

In Exodus 16 the Israelites were in the desert headed to the Promised Land when they started complaining about food. God responded by giving them daily rations of manna. They were only allowed to take what they needed for the day or the extra would spoil. What they didn’t see was that the manna was a training ground for daily dependence on God. It trained them to trust He will provide. It trained them to obey what He said, to live without trying to control everything and to depend on God for what they couldn’t produce for themselves. Every morning, when they woke up, they sought God and His provision. They learned to trust Him and built a relationship with Him through receiving the daily manna.

In Matthew 6, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. We know it as the Lord’s Prayer. In verse 11 of this prayer, Jesus taught us to say, “Give us this day our daily bread” (NKJV). Today, God is still asking us to seek our daily provision from Him. He is still looking for us to trust Him for what we need, so we can build our relationship with Him. The question isn’t whether God will provide, but rather will we go to Him daily? He’s there waiting each day for us to meet with Him, to tell Him our needs and to walk us through life’s difficulties. You can’t stockpile intimacy with God. It’s built through daily communication and dependence on Him. Don’t skip out on the daily bread He offers you. There’s more to it than you realize.

Photo by Skyler Ewing on Pexels.