I woke this morning, early as usual, and started my morning routine. Coffee. Cereal. The Word. Devotion. Prayer. News. Now, let’s check on the animals. Water the plants. Enjoy the cool 45 degree morning.
I stepped back into the house and suddenly, it’s hot in here!
Well, not really. I had grown accustomed to the perfect 45 degree temp that 64 degrees inside felt sweltering.
I paused, thought it through, and this thought came my way.
Somewhere Along the Way
You have to determine how to live day by day, step by step. Even when it seems all is good, there are things that happen in the background that will stress your day.
There is a Broadway show that became a film in 1971. I have never seen it until just a year or so ago, yet have enjoyed it a number of times. It’s called “Fiddler on the Roof” and is a collection of stories from the Jewish population living:
“In pre-revolutionary Russia,
a Jewish peasant contends with marrying off three of his daughters
while growing antisemitic sentiment threatens his village.”
There is a song they sing that puts my mind into the perspective of considering my life, day by day, step by step. It is sung in parts by various characters, but essentially all sing what I call the verse:
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears
Challenges of LIfe
Even with their world crushing around them, the families continue to endure daily life with all of its drama. One day at a time. One step at a time. Regardless of what happened overnight, you still have to handle the day. Regardless of what happened during the day, you still have to survive the night.
This is how we need to make sure we live…. Day by Day… Step by Step…
Jesus teaches his disciples the process of prayer and one line of it sticks out to me as something we receive from God…
“Give us day by day our daily bread.” ~(Luke 11:3 KJV)
In the other version of this prayer, and the one more popularly recited, the phrase is more in tune with how we think of what we need.
“Give us this day our daily bread.” ~(Matthew 6:11 KJV)
In verse 8 of Matthew 6, Jesus says these words that makes the entire thought connect: “…for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before you ask him…”
This song came to mind and I’ve been singing it to myself, to my Lord, all morning long.
He’s All I Need
He’s all I need, He’s all I need.
Jesus is all I need.
He satisfies. Every need supplies.
Jesus is all I need.
This is what I believe. Our prayer, or song, is for the supply of daily needs on a day by day basis. Our daily needs. Not wants. Nor wishes. Nor pipe-dreams. Just what I need. Right now. The sustenance that will sustain me day by day. Step by step.
What do you need to day? Have you prayed for it?