There is an old story about a man whose ship was lost at sea. He barely survived and drifted alone for many days on a raft. Finally he was spotted and rescued by another ship and taken aboard. Later when he was asked if he’d learned anything from the ordeal he went through he replied: “I have learned that if I can have enough food to eat and fresh water to drink that I will be deliriously happy for the rest of my life.”

Most of us won’t have to go through the terrible suffering that man did, but it would still be good if we could learn the lesson he did. I think there is a reason why Jesus, when He taught his disciples to pray, had them to only ask for “our daily bread.” He didn’t have them ask for gold, or land, or any kind of wealth. He didn’t have them ask for security and for all of their future needs to be met, Now. He had them to ask only for their “bread” for this day. Jesus knew that caring about our things and worrying about our future constantly would only separate us from Love and from God. And He knew that God knows our true needs better than we do.

We have been taught in this world that money and stuff equals happiness. But in truth, stuff and money only gives us momentary satisfaction. And after that all you are left with is work, and effort and concern to keep what you have or to acquire more. Our daily happiness like our daily bread is a gift from God. But we can only receive it when we open ourselves to it. We can only receive it when we release our cares and worries and have faith in God’s Love for us.

God Loves us all so much. He delights in giving us our daily bread. He delights in giving us our daily happiness. But our hearts must be open to receive this gift. We have to release our cares about our things and our worries about the future. We have to free ourselves to accept God’s Love for us. Then we will live in love ourselves and create happiness each new day.