Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. – Deuteronomy 11:16

Today's Scripture Reading (January 12, 2022): Deuteronomy 11

His name was Agur, the son of Jakeh. Little else is known about him. Some believe that he was a man of Arab descent who might have lived during the third century B.C.E., but we don't really know, so rumors of who Agur was are many and varied. His name means "collector," so Agur may be a nickname for some unknown writer. And it is just as possible that he lived much earlier than the third century B.C.E. We know little about him, except that he contributed some sayings which have been incorporated into the biblical book of Proverbs. The Sayings of Agur are located in Proverbs 30 and consist of a loose collection of sayings from a man whose name means "the collector." The Aggadah, a non-legalistic explanation of the scripture found in classical rabbinic literature, even offers the possibility that these sayings are more Proverbs of Solomon, provided later in life under the nom de plume of "The Collector."

And in the middle of this collection of sayings, Agur offers this prayer.

"Two things I ask of you, 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 (Deuteronomy 30:7-8).

The first request is straightforward, keep me from dishonesty. But the second is a little strange to our ears: God, don't make me rich or poor, but simply give me my daily bread; give to me what I need to survive today. It is a request that Jesus included in the prayer that he taught his disciples.

"'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:9-12).

Give us enough. Enough to get through this day. Enough to be able to feed ourselves and feed and clothe those close to us. God, give us enough, but no more. Don't tempt me with riches because riches might lead me to follow false gods, or I might come to believe that I, somehow, have deserved the wealth I have acquired outside of my worship of God. God, this is what I ask; let me be satisfied with enough.

Moses offers similar advice to Israel in Deuteronomy. Be careful, or the riches of the land you are about to enter will entice you away from your God. This land that God has promised to you will provide you with more than enough, but you must not allow the riches of the land to entice you to turn away from God or into the worship of other gods, the gods that the nations serve who you will defeat. Follow the God who brought you out of Egypt and into this land.

And, in the process, learn to be satisfied with enough.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 12