Daily Bread
You may remember from confirmation, working through each of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. One petition I find myself considering again and again is the Fourth. Here we are taught to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread.”
It is simple, practical, and profound.
And here is a good starting place: Have you ever had to pray this petition literally and with great urgency?
Many people, in many places, have.
But how does this petition change when we are not all that worried about our daily bread?
Maybe we can think of this petition as teaching daily dependence. In our plenty we need the reminder of where these good things come from. Not just the work of our hands, but from a God who provides for his people. Daily dependence also leads to humility, to know that God is God and we are not, and to be reminded that while we may have enough this day, there are many others who go hungry.
“May I never take my daily bread for granted.” Perhaps that’s another way to say these words.
Richard J. Foster writes in his prayer below, that especially when we seem to have all that we need, our true need is to learn daily dependence on the One who gives us all. And may we never grow tired of praying with sincerity and with thanksgiving, "give us our daily bread."
———
Give us this Day
"Give us this day our daily bread." How do I pray those words, Lord? I live in the context of abundance. I simply do not worry about where my next meal will come from.
Perhaps I should pray on behalf of those who really and truly live from one meal to the next. And I do pray for them. Yet, action on their behalf is the real prayer for the poor - prayer-in-action.
I do need faith daily, Jesus, and strength and patience and wisdom and love and so much more. And real material needs too. "Give us this day our daily gasoline, or clean laundry, or plumber when things go wrong." Is that how I prayer for daily bread?
Teach me, Father, a life of daily dependence upon you for all things--even for the bread that is already in the pantry. Amen.
-Richard J. Foster, "Prayers from the Heart."
———
~Pastor Mike Middaugh
It is simple, practical, and profound.
And here is a good starting place: Have you ever had to pray this petition literally and with great urgency?
Many people, in many places, have.
But how does this petition change when we are not all that worried about our daily bread?
Maybe we can think of this petition as teaching daily dependence. In our plenty we need the reminder of where these good things come from. Not just the work of our hands, but from a God who provides for his people. Daily dependence also leads to humility, to know that God is God and we are not, and to be reminded that while we may have enough this day, there are many others who go hungry.
“May I never take my daily bread for granted.” Perhaps that’s another way to say these words.
Richard J. Foster writes in his prayer below, that especially when we seem to have all that we need, our true need is to learn daily dependence on the One who gives us all. And may we never grow tired of praying with sincerity and with thanksgiving, "give us our daily bread."
———
Give us this Day
"Give us this day our daily bread." How do I pray those words, Lord? I live in the context of abundance. I simply do not worry about where my next meal will come from.
Perhaps I should pray on behalf of those who really and truly live from one meal to the next. And I do pray for them. Yet, action on their behalf is the real prayer for the poor - prayer-in-action.
I do need faith daily, Jesus, and strength and patience and wisdom and love and so much more. And real material needs too. "Give us this day our daily gasoline, or clean laundry, or plumber when things go wrong." Is that how I prayer for daily bread?
Teach me, Father, a life of daily dependence upon you for all things--even for the bread that is already in the pantry. Amen.
-Richard J. Foster, "Prayers from the Heart."
———
~Pastor Mike Middaugh
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