A couple months ago, when neck deep in cancer-surgery recovery, a newish friend sent me a care package filled with books. We’d only “met” on Facebook, but otherwise knew little of each other.
Still. Books. She knew me well enough.
One in particular caught my eye right away and has become a near daily part of my life: Ruthless: Knowing the God Who Fights For You, by Bo Stern. I’d never read anything by this author before (and I don’t make book recommends lightly). But this book was short, the chapters easy to read, and the title intrigued me. After all, Exodus 14:14 had been my theme verse since January.
This past week, in my daily reading, Stern included a quote by Civil War chaplain E.M. Bounds. It was so profound to me, so completely breathtaking and jaw-dropping and soul-reaching, I thought I’d share it with you.
You and I tend to want our days and futures delivered in bulk, the what-ifs of a hundred tomorrows answered right here, right now. Daily living is tough for us, those of us who wield our worry as a sorry means of control. We fight against accepting today’s offerings and leaving our tomorrows to the next rising of the sun.
E. M. Bounds urges us to do otherwise. A full, thriving life depends on it.
When we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we are, in a measure, shutting tomorrow out of our prayer. We do not live in tomorrow but in today. We do not seek tomorrow’s grace or tomorrow’s bread. They thrive best, and get the most out of life, who live in the living present. They pray best who pray for today’s needs, not for tomorrow’s, which may render our prayers unnecessary and redundant by not existing at all! True prayers are born of present trials and present needs. Bread, for today, is bread enough.
Bread given for today is the strongest sort of pledge that there will be bread tomorrow. Victory today is the assurance of victory tomorrow. Our prayers need to be focused upon the present. We must trust God today and leave tomorrow entriely with Him. The present is ours; the future belongs to God. Prayer is the task and duty of each recurring day—daily prayers for daily needs. —E. M. Bounds
Sounds eerily like Matthew 6:34, doesn’t it?
It’s too much for me to promise to live this way from now on. But I can do a daily-bread life today. And so can you. Then, tomorrow, you and I can make the choice to do the same yet again.
As E. M. Bounds said, bread for today is bread enough.
How can you practically choose to live in today, TODAY?
Hi Michele,
I can’t wait to get my copy of that book! In the meantime, thanks for sharing that nugget of gold. It’s something I teach my clients every week and something that is so hard for me to do!
This has been the lesson I’ve been learning again and again and again over the past three years! Making progress, but it’s still difficult to do some days.
So good! Looking forward to checking out the book. It’s something I’m focusing on right now as well.
Wow, I needed that today. Thanks for sharing, Michele. I wish I could master this principle/idea!
Perfect timing as always . Waiting for Rachel to complete some major oral surgery. One day at a time for sure
Thanks for delivering this manna Michele! 🙂
Looking forward to reading this book – just ordered from Amazon! Thanks for sharing, I enjoy your blog.
– Katie
(Independent Usborne Consultant)
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