In the Exodus of Israel from Egyptian slavery, the Lord led them through a desert. Having no food and no way to gather or grow any, God gave them manna, which was rained down from heaven (Ex 16:4). They collected what was needed for each day only as it was provided just for the day - any more than that would spoil and develop worms.
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he told them to ask only for their daily needs (cf. Matt 6:11). In the same vein as the Exodus, Jesus teaches them to ask for their "daily bread." You notice He didn't tell them to ask for a secure job or a vested retirement or even enough to guarantee tomorrow's needs. Jesus tells them to ask for today only. He would advance this point in verse 34 in saying, "Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Why would God want us to live in the day rather than plan and prepare for the future? What would be wrong with securing our future? To begin with, let me say that I'm not suggesting that God is against savings or retirement - I am, rather, questing the premise of "securing tomorrow." To begin with, one cannot truly secure tomorrow. Retirement accounts can be lost (remember Enron?), the best jobs can be lost and even your life itself may not make it to the future.
More important, when we feel "secure" in ourselves, we tend to not rely on God. Security, therefore, can draw us away from God rather than cause us to praise Him. Trusting in God daily, keeps us connected to Him daily. Therefore, living in today, asking for daily sustenance, is a faith builder, which also increases our trust factor.
Go ahead and buy insurance, invest in a retirement plan and put a little in your savings account. But don't put your trust in them for they are not trustworthy - only God is trustworthy, only God can secure your life.
Jus' Sayn.
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