Proverbs 30:7-9 “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, Who is the Lord? Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
The writer of this proverb yearns for two things: truth and dependence. First, he asks God to keep dishonesty far away from him. He wants to be consistently and unfailingly a man of truth and longs to be surrounded by truthful people. No excuses, no flattery, no spin, no lies. Second, he asks God to supply his daily needs. This goes against the lie of attaining complete self-sufficiency (ref. Henley’s Invictus “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”). This prayer is also practical, knowing that poverty is never a desirable or ideal state. It is a stressful condition that pulls all a man’s thoughts toward his own survival.
Father, you have taught me much about dependence over the years, and there is always more to learn. Please keep falsehood and lies far away. Please stop me from doing things my way without regard to you. I trust and depend on you.