144 THE GOSPEL AND THE PLOW 



to support and improve human life. So many feel that 

 to be a Christian means to throw aside ordinary foresight 

 and care, that somehow or other God will provide, that 

 irresponsibility is the right attitude. This petition 

 teaches the opposite. The bread we are to eat two years 

 hence, where will it come from ? At this very time men 

 are exercising foresight to see that good seed is being 

 saved in sufficient quantity, stored in proper places, pro- 

 tected against damp and weevil. They are plowing the 

 ground and getting it ready for the seed. They will 

 then throw away perfectly good seed, fit to eat, into the 

 cold, damp ground, to run the risk of time and weather, 

 and insect pest, and other enemies, there to die, to be 

 lost to them, in order that there may be a harvest to 

 provide seed for the sower and bread for the eater. As 

 Isaiah says in this connection, ''This also cometh forth 

 from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel 

 and excellent in working." It is a matter of historical 

 record that those individuals and those nations that have 

 prayed ' ' Give us this day our daily bread, ' ' have had this 

 prayer more fully answered than those that have not 

 known this prayer. There is that about the Truth that 

 frees men. When Jesus said, "The Truth shall make 

 you free, ' * He was thinking in no narrow sense of truth, 

 as being only spiritual truth. He who is The Truth, The 

 Way, The Life, Himself The Author of all truth, is 

 speaking of all truth, spiritual, physical, social, political, 

 economic, in fact, any truth to which the human mind 

 can address itself, and in subduing the earth, this great 

 body of truth is uncovered for the blessing of men. 



After Jesus had fed the multitude there remained 

 ready for distribution if any more were needed twelve 

 baskets of the five barley loaves. Jesus bade the disciples 



