OUR DAILY BREAD

"Give us this day our daily bread" Matthew 6:11

Recently I checked on a friend I hadn't heard from in a while, just to see how she was doing. I expected it to be an easy-breezy hey girl, yes I am good, you know...that kind of conversation. I was wrong.  At the end of our conversation, I was certain it was the Holy Spirit that had led me to reach out to her that day. 

As a reminder, please reach out to friends and family to see how they are doing. These are indeed trying times and A LOT of people are going through it. Yes, even those that post funny memes on their WhatsApp, and those who you figure is alright because they are home with their loved ones, etc.

Of all times to spread light, love, and hope, this is the time. Please be a light and bring a smile to someone. A colleague, a friend, an acquaintance, even those who you don't normally get along with, check up on them. I know we are all affected by this crisis and we all have our own worries/issues, but that should not hinder us from reaching out to someone else. We need each other now more than ever.

In isolation, the devil thrives, and with almost every city/country in lockdown, people are isolated. And guess what? the devil is BUSY! He is busy feeding those idle minds with negative and discouraging thoughts, reminding them of things to worry about, stealing their hope, and leaving them in crippling fear and despair. 

What is happening right now can get anybody down. A week after I encouraged and prayed with my friend, I was hit with a cloud of heaviness. Y'all, out of the blue! I soon found myself sounding like my friend, thinking similar thoughts that had brought her down. After day one of being moody and restless, saying things like oh woe is me and crying myself to sleep, I soon recognized that it was the sneaky devil messing with my mind. Oh! in Holy anger (thank you Jesus!) I rebuked that spirit of heaviness, sprang up to my feet, turned on Shiloh high praise on youtube, and began my praise dance. All the while declaring that the Lord is my strength and my joy is FULL! Amen!

Honestly, this is the time to pray for strength and more strength. If you have asked for strength already and you still feel weak and drained, it is okay to go back to your father, again and again, to ask for more grace and strength. He will not chase you out, He is not counting how many times you have approached Him concerning the same matter. You cannot weary God, and He does not consider you weak. It is okay to ask for DAILY bread. He will give unto you. His mercies are new EVERY morning for a reason (Lamentations 3: 22-23). 

Remember, a bruised reed He will not break (Isaiah 42:3). So, when you feel like Elijah under the Broom tree (I Kings 19), alone, frightened, hungry and weak, discouraged, depressed, and defeated, remember that the Lord is your strength. He affectionately cares for you. He is there to pour strength, hope, and life back into you. 

In I Kings 17 when famine was declared, the Lord sent a raven to feed Elijah. 

You reading this, you might be Elijah right now. I just want to remind you today that the Lord sees you, He is still in charge, the earth and the fullness thereof is still His. Yes, He is still the possessor of Heaven and earth. Take your eyes off the raging storm today, and receive His offered rest.

For another person reading this, you might be the raven that the Lord needs to send to feed someone else (be it physically, spiritually, or emotionally), please make yourself available. Be attentive. When you feel prompted to check up on someone, please don't push it off. Do it. Even the strongest and the best of us need to be reminded who we are, whose we are, and most importantly, who is for us.  

I pray for you today from Ephesians 3:16-19, "I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Amen.

Hang tight friends, this storm will pass, that is certain, but until then, hold on tightly to the hands of the Lord, rest assured He won't let you go. He is in your boat, you will not and cannot sink. 

Please read/meditate on the scriptures below and check out the suggested songs to also build you up in the faith. 

Until next time, stay safe, stay strengthened. Jesus loves you!

Related Scriptures:
Psalms 34:18-19, Matthew 11:28-30 Galatians 6:2, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalms 40:1-3,  Psalms 3:3, Phillipians 2:4, Matthew 5:16, I Peter 5:7, Isaiah 41:10,  John 14:27, Matthew 6:26, Psalms 42:11, Proverbs 11:25

Song suggestions:
Another in the Fire- Hillson United, Here Again- Elevation Worship,  Peace be Still- Lauren Daigle, Carry Me-Nathaniel Bassey, Surrounded-Michael W Smith, Upper Room-Satisfy, Good Good Father- Chris Tomlin, Way Maker-Sinach, See a Victory- Elevation Worship