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The Citizen, 2017-01-12, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017. From the Minister's Study `Daily bread' more than food: van Leeuwen By Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Blyth Christian Reformed Church When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we make a number of requests. I have been working through the prayer with my congregation in the evening services, and recently I prepared a message on the request, "Give us this day our daily bread." Perhaps of all the requests in the prayer this one seems to be the one that is the least relevant for us who live in Canada in 2017. After all, most of us have so much food stored in our homes that should we buy nothing more we would still have enough to eat well into February. After reflecting on this request, however, it became evident to me that praying for our daily bread is still very relevant even in our situation. In biblical times, as well in many places in this world, people buy what they need to eat for the day. Many times this is not a choice that people make but rather it is out of necessity. They simply do not have enough money to buy food beyond what they need for the day. Thus, in Jesus' time, as well as in many places in this world, people go to the market every day to buy their food. I have never been in the situation of not having enough money for food beyond today but if I were, I suspect that I would find ample reason to worry. Those who live day to day love their children as much as we love ours, and I am certain that they lie awake at night hoping that they will not become ill or lose their jobs so that they can continue to provide for the ones they love the most. It would be very easy to fall into the habit of worrying about food for the immediate future if you can only afford to buy what you need for the next few hours. When Jesus instructs his disciples (and us) to pray for daily bread, he is asking them to turn their needs over to God. The Lord's Prayer is addressed to God as our Father in heaven, indicating that God has entered into a caring and providing relationship with us through Jesus Christ. As our Father, he has committed himself to providing for our needs. Thus, when we pray, "Give us today our daily bread," we are trusting that our loving heavenly Father will provide us with what we need for the immediate future so that we do not need to worry. Praying this request removes from us the need to worry about how we and those we love will live. And that makes this request relevant for us today. In our Canadian context we have practically removed God from every sphere of life, including the sphere of provision for necessities. In our t t t t t t t t t t t t t t 1Vtr\ 4J Ct Jan. 15: Matt. 3:7-17 "Baptism: Saying Sony, Soaking Spirit" *NEW* Conquer Series" - purity for MEN: Mondays 7 pm at Huron Chapel, Auburn Evangelical Missionary Church Small Group • Tuesdays 7:30 pm at G&M Lisle's, Wingham Youth Group • Wed. 6:30.6:30 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn 10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848 getlivingwater. orgg} C arrogance we have said that we can provide for ourselves and we have set out to prove it by doing everything without God's help. True, we have been able to do much by ourselves, from developing more efficient and productive agricultural techniques, faster and more reliable transportation systems, and fairer market values for our products. Yet, we must admit that our ability to keep things running smoothly is limited, for there are so many things that could go wrong. We may be ingenious, but we also recognize our limitations, if we are realistic about life. Because we have become arrogant in our claims to be self-sufficient and independent, we have eliminated God from our lives because we believe we don't need him. But in so doing we have created a great deal of insecurity. Advertisers recognize this and they prey on our insecurities by inviting us to use/buy BRUSSELS their produce so that we can have security both for the present and for the future. They offer insurance or financial advice or whatever else it is that we need, saying that they will make us secure. And we are quick to listen to them and give them control of segments of our lives, trusting that when we do, they will take care of us. Yet, most of us continue to worry, perhaps not about food for the next few hours, but about safety, our financial futures, our jobs, and so much more. We worry because we are well aware that since we have decided to go it alone, without God, we must provide for ourselves or else we will fail to survive. That is why this request, "Give us today our daily bread," is for us as well. When we pray this request, we are giving our needs over to God, and we are trusting that he will provide for us. We are saying that we are inadequate in and of ourselves, and because we are, we need God's United Church WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Everyone welcome Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. - 226-963-1175 ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS BLYTH Trinity (5.'9:15 am Church Office 519-357-4883 BRUSSELS St. John's 11:15 am Church Office 519-887-6862 Everyone Welcome! COME WORSHIP WITH US! eutemze4 efuitoiltaitv 'edle eitaftee You're Invited to come wors6p with us Sunday, January 15 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 \off Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, January 15 There's more to water than Baptism MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. OFFICE: 519-523-4224 help. We are cutting off every reason to worry, for if, through Jesus Christ, we have a loving and caring Father, we can live in confidence that he will supply our every need. I suppose that this request of the Lord's Prayer forces us to ask the question: do I depend on myself for everything I have? If that is the case, I suspect that worry might be a part of your life, especially if you are realistic about your abilities. If you have eliminated God from your life, you have every reason to feel insecure. On the other hand, if you trust that God loves you much more than any human parent has loved their children, then you can live confidently, trusting that he will provide for your every need. In a sense, praying this request, "Give us today our daily bread," is a way of voicing our confidence that God can and will provide what we need. See histories and historic photographs on the Huron History section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca You're 9nvited loin s 9n Wors/ ip SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 "Unbelief puts our circumstances between us and God. Faith puts God between us and our circumstances." F.B. Meyer. HURON CHAPEL 1 AUBURN "Always A Place For You" 10:30am Every Sunday huronchapel.com MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, JANUARY 15 We invite you to join our church family in: Worship & Sunday School - 11 am Coffee & Snacks following the service Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Nursery care available 519-887-6687 THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph's Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N.