My friend Janet is an international flight attendant who recently found herself sick and quarantined awaiting the results of her Covid19 test. Contemplating an early retirement package from American Airlines, she lamented; “I just don’t know if I can take this life at home every day…I get so hopeless…Yesterday I just put my covers over my head and stayed in bed all day……” As I tried to encourage her, Jesus’ words came to mind: “our Father Who art in heaven…….give us this day our daily bread.” We were reminded that our time in His Presence and in His Word is the “bread of life” that we need to guide and comfort us. Just like the “manna,” which God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness, this “sustenance” must be gathered fresh each day. 

Then the Lord brought this to mind: “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:34 ) This, of course, addresses our tendency to look ahead and become anxious about health and finances, etc. or hopeless: unable to imagine how we will “make it” through the days, weeks, years ahead.  Our heavenly Father continually calls to us to take His hand and trust Him one day at a time. The words of the hymn “Day by Day” have inspired and comforted me lately;