In addition to Scripture, we have been given the Holy Spirit to help us discern God’s will. And also, the counsel of godly mentors. For myself, scripture tends to be the most reliable revelation of what pleases God. Sometimes it is difficult to hear the Holy Spirit, and godly mentors are not always immediately accessible. But, from a young age, I was encouraged to memorize scripture. How many times the counsel of God comes to me from verses I have memorized many, many years ago!

I love my little vegetable garden.  It always amazes me how I can plant a few seeds in the ground and, with relatively minimal effort on my part, can later reap an incredible harvest of good things over the summer. Sure, I need to weed and water, but those seeds sprout and produce all by themselves, according to God’s creation plan.

What constitutes worth in our society?  Perhaps it’s the ability to contribute to a lesser or greater degree. Sometimes it’s measured by wealth or social standing, but we know that this is not supposed to be the Christian’s perspective of worth.

When I was in grade school, the lot directly behind our house was sold to a builder.  Two twin houses were built on the lot.  We neighborhood kids watched the progress on those houses all summer long.  Once the workers completed their workday and left the site, we would all gather around and check out what had been done that day.  I remember jumping down into the pits that became the foundations of the homes. 

Why are we instructed to seek our bread daily, one day at a time? One reason, I believe, is to teach us to live in the day. When we train ourselves to look only for enough “bread” for the current day, it helps us focus on God’s provision for the day and to trust Him for that provision one day at a time.

In my younger days, I took lessons in English horseback riding.  I will forever remember one of my instructor’s frequent sayings:  When on horseback, when the horse is doing everything right, “the hardest thing for the rider to do is NOTHING.”