God promises to take care of our basic needs. This is something that we tend to forget - often. Jesus points this out in several places, most prominently when he tells us not to worry in Matthew 6, "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them."  

I was reminded by this when I heard Pastor Ron's Sunday sermon on the Lord's Prayer taught by Jesus, especially the line, "Give us this day our daily bread." 

This phrase takes me back to the Israelites' experience in walking through the desert wilderness in Exodus. In Exodus 16, the Lord provided for the Israelites by sending down a bread-like meal called manna every morning and instructs the camp to pick up only enough manna just for that day. The only exception was to be the day before the Sabbath when they were allowed to gather enough for two days.

This went on for 40 years. They couldn't hoard manna and put it in a safe place because then it would rot. They couldn't depend on themselves to get enough food outside of God because they were in the middle of the desert. For forty years, the Israelites had to literally depend on God's faithfulness daily for their well-being, for their life. What a terrifying and exhilarating experience that must have been!

We're not people that easily trust others with things that are important to us because we know the imperfection of humanity. People usually forget or drop the ball often. Imagine trusting your life to someone else every single day for forty years, trusting that they will never forget you or never be a single minute late. It's a pretty daunting thing to ask for someone, but not God. God was faithful to the Israelites for forty years. He did not forget a single day.

That is what Jesus wanted us to remind ourselves when we pray "Give us each day our daily bread." Trusting God is not an one-time deal. It is a constant and never-ending daily process in which God wants to show that He is faithful. The world will never be faithful to us. The world will forget us, drop us, leave us, break us, starve us, and abandon us. Jobs will disappear, money will never be enough, health will decrease, and people will disappoint.

Not the Lord. For 40 years, he gave manna to the wandering Israelites, freed from slavery from Egypt. Before we were born, each and every one of us, God knew what He needed to provide us for our life and our lot in life. 

Do you believe in this? Do you trust in this? When we pray "Give this day our daily bread," this is what we're saying. We're saying we trust that God knows what we need and that we trust Him to provide exactly that.

If truly prayed and believed, this is a powerful prayer. Are you ready to step forward in faith and trust in the Creator of the universe completely to provide fully for your needs?  

-Matt 

Don't forget the early bird pricing ends on March 31st.  

Register your 2nd-12th grader for summer camp at Camp Manitoqua now and save money!   Calvary offers financial assistance, let us help you get your child to camp! Visit the camp table upstairs outside The LOFT and Youth Rooms or email Tiffany for more information at children@calvaryop.org.

We have a local mission project for Calvary to take part in!   Sign up at the Welcome Center to help beautify Camp Manitoqua in Frankfort, IL so it can offer wonderful Christian programs throughout the year. Spring Clean-Up Work Day is set for Saturday, April 12 from 9am-2:30pm. Come when you can! Lunch will be served and childcare provided for ages 4-9.

There are a variety of projects that need to be done that day: painting, weeding/raking, cleaning windows, creating/designing decorations for the summer programs, building projects and more!

Calvary families are highly encouraged to make this a "family mission project." Support Camp Manitoqua as well as instill the importance of serving others into your child's heart!  

Questions? Email them to Tiffany Johnston at children@calvaryop.org and sign up at the Welcome Center by Sunday, April 6.

Mark your calendars for April 19th for an Easter Celebration at Calvary. Families, join us for an Easter craft, an egg hunt inside the church, and refreshments afterwards! Open to the community! Invite your friends and neighbors!

DONATIONS & VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: CANDY, COOKIE BAKERS, STUFFERS, EVENT DAY ASSISTANCE

Last year we stuffed over 2,000 eggs! We are in need of LOTS of small wrapped candy and small trinkets that will fit inside a plastic egg. Be on the lookout for those Easter sales and drop off your donations near the Welcome Center by Sunday, April 6th.

Want to help stuff or hide eggs, bake cookies, or help on the event day? Call Tiffany at the church office, email at children@calvaryop.org, or sign up at the Welcome Center.

This verse-by-verse study of the Revelation of John will help you experience the awesome spiritual power that resides in this final book of the Bible. Revelation's message is truly for every generation: "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." Rev. 1:3.

Show up on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in room 241 OR Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. in room 252 to receive this blessing from God! Questions? Contact Joe Dampf at jdampf22@gmail.com.

THURSDAY (3/6):

- 7:00 a.m.  Men's Barnabas Bible Study

- 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.  Food Pantry is Open!

- 1:00 p.m.  Men's Bible Study

- 6:00 p.m.  Praise Band Rehearsal 

- 6:00 p.m.  Girls Biddy Basketball

- 6:30 p.m.  Stephen Ministry

- 7:00 p.m.  Girlfriends Bible Study (Stepping Up)

- 7:30 p.m.  NOAH (offsite) 

FRIDAY (3/7):  

SATURDAY (3/8):  

MONDAY (3/10):       

- 7:00 p.m.  New Hope 

TUESDAY (3/11):

- 6:00 p.m.  Praise Band Rehearsal

- 7:00 p.m.  Revelations Bible Study

- 7:00 p.m.  Consistory Meeting 

WEDNESDAY (3/12):

THURSDAY (3/13):

- 7:00 a.m.  Men's Barnabas Bible Study

- 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.  Food Pantry is Open!

- 1:00 p.m.  Men's Bible Study

- 6:00 p.m.  Praise Band Rehearsal 

- 6:00 p.m.  Girls Biddy Basketball

- 7:00 p.m.  Girlfriends Bible Study (Stepping Up)

FRIDAY (3/14):  

SATURDAY (3/15):  

Volunteer forms will be coming out in mid- April.