| The Golden Gate of Prayer |
Chapter 11 |
Page 6 |
There is yet another limitation in the petition, in the word “daily.” It means sought for the day —seasonable provision. It is not a prayer, therefore, for a large supply. We are not authorized to ask for luxuries. We need not infer that it is wrong for us to have more than our actual need for the day requires; but this is all that is promised. St. Paul says, “My God shall fulfil every need of yours, according to his riches in glory.” This assures us of a very abundant provision. Our Father does everything generously. He is never niggardly or mean in caring for his children. Ofttimes he supplies their wants most abundantly, giving them far more than they need. But we are taught to ask only for enough, and we cannot claim the promise for more.
The prayer would seem also to forbid extravagance. God’s bread never should be wasted. There is a story of Carlyle that one day he was seen going into the middle of the street to pick up a crust of bread which he saw lying there is the dust. Taking it in his hand gently, as it had been something very valuable, he brushed off the clay and then carried it to the curb and laid it down, saying: “I was taught by my mother never to waste anything, least of all bread, the most precious of all God’s gifts. This crust of bread may feed a hungry dog or a little sparrow.” Our Lord himself taught the same lesson, when, after working his great miracle of the loaves, and feeding thousands, he directed that all the fragments be gathered up, that nothing should be lost. The bread we get as God’s gift is sacred, and not a crumb of it should be wasted, either recklessly of in useless extravagance.
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