The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-03-15

material bread.
Here is plain encouragement to pre-
sent our physical needs before God, al
though it is to be kept in mind that
six petitions out of the seven in the
Lords Prayer are taken up with spir-
itual things.
We ask God to "give" us our bread.
Let us keep in mind that 1t comes from
him. There is an old story of a man
who met boy in the village street.
carrying loaf of bread. He asked the
boy where he got the loaf, and the boy
replied: "From the baker," "But
where did he get it?" "He made it,"
"Eow. did he make it?' "With -four"
"Where did he get his flour?' "He
ground the wheat" "Where did he get
his wheat?" "He got 1t from the farm
er." "Yes, but where did the farmer
get his wheat?" ooh, from God" said
the boy. "Then." said the man,
''you got your loaf from God!"
Back of the loaf is the snowy -four.
And back of the -four the MILL
| And back OF the mill is the wheat and
| the shower
And the sun and the Fathers will.
Although God gves us our bread,
yet we must labor for 1t and the scrip
tural provision u.s. eff any will not
work, neither let him eat" The fact
that we toll assures us that God will
| feed us. for does he not feed the fowls
Of the air. which neither SOW nor reap
nor gather into barns? And as Luz
Their says, "Even to feed the sparrows
God spends more than the revenues of
the French king would buy" How this
petition sanctifies our toll What man
could cheat or steal or be idle after he
has asked God to give him his bread
Again, since God gives us our bread,
we should thank him for It, How
beautiful is the picture given us of
the apostolic church. that "they ate
their meat with gladness." But how
neglectful we are Of the duty and
grace of thanksgiving"
We pray that God would give "us"
our bread. considering our brothers.
need as well as our own. If we pray
Alright we shall not shut up our heart
Of compassion against the poor. Mel
Their shall we make the poor man cry
for bread in order to enrich our
| selves.
How God Fed a Widow and Her Chill
dren.
1t Is to be noted that Jesus directs
us to pray for bread for "this day"
only. This implies that we are to
trust our Father for the morrow and to
be unanxious. DIR. III. c. Trumbull
tells~of poor widow and her children
who lived near his bOyhood home.
One night, when she put her little ones
to bed, she knew she had nothing to
eat for the morrow. yet kneeled in faith
and presented her needs to God. The
next morning. she set the table as
usual and then sent the children to the
seashore to get sand for the floor; 1t
was used in those days instead of car
pet. While they were gone she prayed
earnestly to God for food for break
fast. The children soon came back In
glee, bringing n fish which had been
left in a hollow of the beach by the
retreating tide. While the mother
was cooking 1t a neighbor called and
explained that years before the wild
ow's husband had done him kindness
which he now wished to repay; he left
bushel and half of cornmeal. The
mother proceeded to make johnny-cake
and then told her children how the
fish and meal had come just in time
in answer to prayer. With what graft
tude to God they sat down to that
breakfast! The neighbors heard the
story, and saw to II that this good
woman and her children were never
again in want.
The word "daily" Is found nowhere
in the Greek Testament save in the
Lords Prayer. There has been much
discussion as to its meaning. The best
scholars incline to the view that "daily
bread" means bread sufficient for our
existence, which we actually need to
sustain us. What rebuke to luxury
The most spiritual men Of the day tell
us that they fear luxury as they fear
but few things; ii has subtle power
to sap spiritual strength. Our Heav-
emily Father only engages to meet the
modest needs Of his children. These
needs vary considerably In the case of
king, for example, as compared with
peasant. But in every case, God will
hear the prayer of his children for
their "daily bread"
How unhappy the state OF those who
do not know God as their Father In
heaveni