Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:7-9
In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus gave some key elements that should be present in prayer including: 1) reverence for God, 2) desire that His will be done, 3), request for our daily bread, 4) request for forgiveness of our sins, and 5) request for deliverance from temptations to sin. With Thanksgiving now in the rearview, we would do well to give some thought to the request for our daily bread. A closer look at the phrase used reveals a powerful truth that will help us live lives of contentment and thanksgiving every day. It should also help us overcome the tendency to constantly seek to amass more wealth and possessions.
In the English Revised Version, verse 11 reads, “Give us the food we need for today.” This really captures the essence of the text as it is a statement of dependence on God to supply what is needful for us. By humbly requesting only what is needful now, we avoid many pitfalls. As we read in Proverbs 30:7-9, there is a ditch on either side of the material spectrum. The language concerning God’s provisions is very similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 6:9, but it offers a bit of the reasoning for seeking what is needful rather than attempting to stockpile.
Virtually no one is seeking poverty, but the harsh reality of it should prompt thanksgiving in the heart of all whose bellies are filled. The proverb acknowledges the powerful drive of hunger pangs. His concern was that hunger would drive him to steal and thereby profane the name of God. It seems the proper answer to this would be to seek abundance to hedge against falling into such poverty in the future as well, right? While such would most likely prevent theft, it creates a temptation to a different kind of sin. Self-sufficiency leads to denying God as the giver of all blessings.
This principle is often repeated in Scripture. In Deuteronomy 8:1-18, Moses warned the Israelites of the danger of getting comfortable and forgetting where they came from and Who delivered them from their lowly place in the world. James 4:13-17 warns of the dangers of presuming to build one’s fortunes without considering God in one’s plans. In Luke 12:14-21, Jesus warned against covetousness in the parable of the rich fool. In the parable, the rich man was richly blessed with his crops until his barns became insufficient to hold all his surplus. As a result, he decided to replace them with bigger barns and take his leisure. Sadly, he made no room for God, and he lost his soul to his materialism.
We could continue with proof of the dangers of excess, but these are enough to make the point. There is nothing wrong with saving for retirement and having some cushion. As a matter of fact, the Bible promotes wise use of time and energy to ensure one’s family has what is needed (Proverbs 6:6-8; 10:4-5: 30:24-25). The important thing is to maintain trust in God as the supplier and thankfulness for His supply. As one Bible scholar noted, “Happy the man who can balance a full stomach with a thankful and lowly heart. So, we ask God for the food we need for today and give thanks for whatever provisions He makes.”