Cindy Donaldson, St. Luke’s member since 2012

Proverbs 30:8-9 (The Voice)
Eliminate any hint of worthless and deceitful words from my lips. Do not make me rich or poor, but give me each day what I need; For if I have too much, I might forget You are the one who provides, saying “Who is the Eternal One?” Or if I do not have enough, I might become hungry and turn to stealing and thus dishonor the good name of my God. 

Reflection:
My grandfather was an Episcopal priest, and his pearls of Christian wisdom come to me in memory in bite-sized pieces. One of those pearls was that the Lord provides. 

My second-grade teacher sent us home on assignment to make birdhouses—as winter was coming and birds needed extra food and shelter during the winter (though we lived in Southern California, not exactly a place where winter is feared). I told my grandfather about my assignment, and how the birds need us to provide for them or they will die—and wouldn’t that be tragic?!

“The Lord provides,” he simply told me. Now, my grandfather was a very generous man whose actions told that he believed we were the hands and feet of Jesus, called to care for one another. But his point stood—no bird was going to die if I didn’t build a birdhouse. He did not quote any scripture, but if he had, he would have had plenty of options. One such example is this, Proverbs 30: “Do not make me rich or poor, but give me each day what I need; For if I have too much, I might forget You are the one who provides, saying ’Who is the Eternal One?’” 

This scripture points me to the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer, a beautiful prayer that reaffirms our need not only to rely fully on the Lord, but also to allow the Lord to use us for his greater purposes.

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

“Let me have all things, let me have nothing.” This is the most poignant line for me. Do I mean this? I’m okay with “let me have all things,” but it’s really hard to mean “let me have nothing.” Just ask Job. But we are called to trust in God’s provisions. Believing that the manna you receive each day—or the “daily bread” we pray for in the Lord’s prayer—will be just the amount needed to sustain you until tomorrow.  

There is much hinging on 2021. Collectively we seem to have hopes that it will be an exceptional year, especially compared to the illness, grief and strife of 2020. That may or may not be the case. But, brothers and sisters in Christ, we will be okay either way. Pray as Proverbs teaches us—to receive each day just what we need, and the Lord will provide. Just as he always has, and he always will.    

Prayer:
Gracious God, give us this day our daily bread. Let us have all things, let us have nothing. As Proverbs teaches us to pray, give me each day what I need. I do not need more, and I do not need less. All I ultimately need is You—your love, mercy, and grace. In Your Son’s holy name we pray, Amen.