(1 Kings 17:2-9)

The way the Lord would have us
spiritually is that He never gives us a stock of anything—of grace or of
gift—so that we can say, "I have got enough to last me so long at
least." That would be taking us out of the place of faith, and depriving
us of the blessing God has for us. He covets to show us what He is:His power,
His love, His unforgetfulness of us. As it is said of the people whom in His
love and His pity He redeemed:"He bare them and carried them all the days
of old." It is a great thing to get this in a real and practical way for
ourselves with God. If He keeps us low down here—and you know it is His way in
more senses than one to call and choose the poor—it is not because His hand is
niggard, God forbid, but that we may not miss realizing this great blessing of
His care. Often, all we think of is having our need met; but how little a thing
is that with God! It would cost Him nothing, we may say, to meet the need of a
lifetime in a moment; and a lesser love than His would supply it at once and
get rid of a constant burden. But that is not His way. To supply the need is a
small thing; but to supply it in such a way as to make us feel in each
seasonable supply the Father’s eye never withdrawn from us, the Father’s heart
ever employed about us, that is what He means. "Give us day by day our
daily bread," is the prayer the Lord taught His disciples; and thus we ask
Him continually to be waiting on us. Is it not much more than to ask,
"Give us now, that we may not have to come again"?