READING: Proverbs 30-31, Galatians 2
It’s just a simple prayer of Agur in Proverbs 30, but it’s grabbed my attention today. Scholars debate what the “two” prayer requests are in Proverbs 30:7-9, but the words of the writer address integrity and trust. His prayer is as follows: “Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God” (Prov 30:7-9).
One one hand, Agur wanted to make sure that his life was marked by integrity. He desired to be an honest man, and he knew he needed God’s help to live that way. In some ways, he modeled the prayer that Jesus later taught His disciples to pray: “and do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt 6:13). On the other hand, Agur also wanted to find his sufficiency fully in God. He apparently knew himself well enough to know that if God blessed him with wealth, he would live as if he didn’t need God; further, he knew that he could get frustrated and angry with God if God left him in poverty. In the end, he had no desire to profane the name of God by his attitude or his actions.
It’s the latter request that most convicts me today. Do I rest in God’s care of me, not wanting more that might cause me to be self-dependent, but also not getting angry with God if I think I have too little? Frankly, I have more than I need—so the question of how much I truly believe I need God rings loudly in my ears today.
PRAYER: “Lord, teach me to trust in You fully. Help me to find my sufficiency fully in You.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Ecclesiastes 1-6, Galatians 3:1-26
