Daily Bread

If you have enough time, read Matthew 6:5-15.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11

If you are one who prays the Lord’s Prayer regularly, you’ve been praying this line from this prayer for years. If not, be careful before you start, without first knowing what you’ll be asking for.

While we’ve always understood the “bread” to mean all the basic necessities of life (everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, Luther), and this part of the prayer as not only asking for these provisions but also as a reminder to us that these things (which at times seem SOOOO important to us) are in fact ALSO important to the Lord (otherwise, why would Jesus have us pray about them?) … WELL, it was the “daily” that put me into a bit of a shock not too long ago.

Had the good Lord been tricking me into praying this prayer this way?

Since when have I wanted merely my daily bread? What about planning for tomorrow, next month, year, - heck, is it too soon to start counting down toward retirement?? If all I’m getting is my daily bread, how can I ever trust that I’ll have enough in the future???

Unless of course, His point is that our trust rests not on the bread, but on the One who gives it. (Ouch! That sounds something like “faith”.)

When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. Hosea 13:6

Could it actually be better at times to only receive my daily bread – and no more??? I’ll keep praying the prayer the way the Lord gave it to us even if I’m not sure if I agree with it – just in case He knows best.

Prayer: Truth is Lord, you do give us well beyond our daily bread. Let what you give us, though, never take us away from the One who gives it – the same One who gave Himself – YOU, Lord Jesus. In your name. Amen.