Our Daily Bread

by Chuck Cordon

“for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Mat. 6:11,32, 7:7-8, NASB).

Regular, private, focused bible study is elixir to the soul. Take Matthew’s narrative of the Sermon on the Mount (Mat. 5-7). There is so much to contemplate. How am I to digest these things unless I set my mind to it (1 Cor. 2:14)?

No matter how many times you may read the Sermon on the Mount over a lifetime, it just keeps giving, providing spiritual sustenance and reinforcement in its constancy. It also provides the opportunity for a fresh perspective, or a connection not realized before. The powerful and illuminative metaphors in this masterpiece allow us to glean spiritual, live-giving truths from God’s word and gives us a glimpse into the Father’s directed care in transforming us, nurturing us in our growth as His children.

Consider the statements Jesus brings to our attention in Mat. 6:19-21 (“stored treasures”), and how that which we value directs the focus of our attention: “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The Master Teacher also illustrates His point using the eye, by which we may rightly discern (judge) things (6:22-23, 7ff). Think of the many places in Scripture where the word of God (Jesus Himself) is likened unto a guiding light (e.g., Psa. 119:105; John 1:4; John 3:19-21). A parent might instruct a child fixated on an unhealthy diet of candy and soda, “look at what you are filling yourself with…and what is that stuff doing to you?” And again, reasonably, “isn’t what you are putting into yourself (exposing yourself to) going to affect your attitude as well as what you are able to do and how well you do it?” You may have heard the expression, “garbage in = garbage out!” Luke will phrase it much more eloquently: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45). In the simplest sense, “good trees bear good fruit, and bad trees bear bad fruit.”

We see in this discourse how the Lord conveys His teaching of the Father’s kind intention and goodwill toward us, assuring us that He knows what we need and provides it. This empowers us to make critical, informed, value-driven choices, as to what we yearn for: “Ask-Seek-Knock” (Mat. 7:7-8) and protects us with sound wisdom (Mat. 7:13-27). The desired effect is yielding an exercised and healthy discipleship founded on the rock. And lest the ears be left out… “therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them…”