Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11, CSB)
Observations
On the surface, this section of the disciples’ model prayer may seem irrelevant to us today. After all, most of us don’t wonder where our next meal is coming from. When we’re hungry, we either go to the pantry or refrigerator and get something to prepare for a meal or we have access to dozens of restaurants nearby who can prepare a meal for us. If we’re in a hurry there’s usually a drive-thru just down the road. Quite honestly, God’s provision for daily food is something that we often take for granted. Truth be told, there are people in our own country who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. In addition, if you’ve got $50 to your name, you are richer than half of the people on the planet. With that in mind, we should always be grateful for God’s provision in our lives. When using the disciples model prayer as a template for prayer, perhaps we should make a shift in asking God to provide for all of the needs of our lives. Not only our food, clothing and shelter, but also our health, strength, right relationships with others, and wisdom to overcome the challenges of each day.Application
This section should remind us of our utter dependence upon God and His provision in our lives. Ask yourself the following questions and reflect on these scriptures as you pray this prayer- Am I trusting God to provide for and meet my daily needs? Or am I trusting in something or someone else?
- Am I walking in dependence upon the Father moment by moment? Do I trust Him to do what only He can do in my life and in the lives of family and friends?
- Do I recognize my own self-reliance as sin? Am I quick to confess and forsake it?
- And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19, CSB)
- The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)
- Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10)
- “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life-span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34)
