Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matt. 6:10). Notice the time markers: “today” and “daily.” Throughout his ministry, Jesus was concerned that his disciples learn to follow him and love God on a twenty-four hour basis.

Consider this random sample of statements from the Gospels:

• “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34).
• “No one knows about that day or hour [i.e., when Christ will return], not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matt. 24:36).
• “If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:4).
• “On that day [i.e., when Christ will return] no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything” (Luke 17:31).
• “Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working’” (John 5:17).
• “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4).

What picture emerges from these statements? The future is uncertain to all but God. We should not worry about what we cannot know but rather trust the One who does. And we should act on the basis of what we do know, because that prepares us spiritually for any eventuality. We should live, in other words, one day at a time; it is the only way we can and is all God expects of us.

I don’t think Jesus intends us to live in a hand-to-mouth, subsistence-level fashion. There is nothing inherently wrong or unbiblical about putting away money in your 401(k) or saving up for your children’s education or engaging in long-range business and personal planning. What is wrong is the frenzied attempt to do these things as a bulwark against the future, as if God does not take care of his children.

Jesus said, “the pagans run after all these things [i.e., food, drink, clothing, etc.], and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt 6:33–34). According to Jesus, a personal relationship with God is the foundation for meeting our daily needs.

Consequently, we must seek God every day, through daily prayer investing ourselves in our relationship with him. And we must ask him to meet our needs daily, not as a substitute for future saving and planning, but as its foundation. While we do not know what the future holds, we know Who holds the future. Our heavenly Father is the steady Provider of our needs—whether present or future, and the only sure cure for any anxiety about what lies ahead.