'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — June 7

God in an extraordinary manner fed his people in the wilderness. They gathered manna day by day. Christ taught us to pray 'Give us this day our daily bread', not this month or year. God would like to hear from us each day. He would not have us too long out of his company, but by a frequent commerce become acquainted and familiar with him. You should not let a day pass over your head without God hearing from you. Your patent lasts but for a day. Your lease from God for your comforts and mercies will expire unless you renew them by prayer. How different from the heart of God's children are those content to visit the mercy-seat but once a year like the high priest! God would have us come every day to the throne of grace. Our mercies do not flow from God all at once, but some today, and others tomorrow. All together they are too heavy for us to wield and manage. Our mercies come in great numbers, but God distributes them by parcels that we are able to acknowledge them and be thankful for them. He loads us daily that we may not forget him but have new reasons for praise. Each day we are in need of new strength, new grace, and new supplies. Every day affords business, trouble, care, and burdens enough. We do not need to anticipate and occupy ourselves with the next day. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matt. 6:34). God would not have us to be overly burdened with worry about tomorrow; he would have us look no further than today. Life is a vapour, and we do not know whether we have another day, yet we are prone to sing lullabies to our souls: 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry' (Luke 12:19). Take one day at a time, and go to God that he will most plentifully provide for you.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Thomas Manton, Works, I:165-166
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