“Give us this day our daily bread”

Here is the good news: 

God has promised to provide everything you need for the rest of your life.

Here is the bad news: 

God has not promised to provide everything you want for the rest of your life.

Once you accept this, your life will make more sense. I mean isn’t it true that most of the things that cause you to worry are not things you need to survive and flourish, but just things you want?

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he taught them to pray for “daily bread.”

Not monthly or yearly bread, but day-to-day provision. Many of the people Jesus preached this to depended on the daily catch of fish, or the day's wages to feed the family, pay the rent, pay taxes, purchase clothing and buy essentials. 

A very small part of the population had stockpiles of food and resources like we do today (For example: Do you have more than one or two changes of clothing, money in savings, a job, health insurance? You are insanely rich compared to everyone who has lived in the history of the world). 

To say the least, it is hard to understand what daily bread might actually feel like on an emotional level. But there are plenty of parallels to your life today.

In order to pray this prayer you need a shift in perspective.

You need to see that God is providing for you and Christians throughout the world everyday. But he also provides food and rain for those who don’t believe (Matthew 5:45).

You need to see that God is the one providing.

Not you, not your careful planning, not your outsmarting the system, not your job, not your savings account. Any of that could fade tomorrow, but God will still provide for you.

To recognize this, Jesus asks us to pray everyday for God to provide all that we need.

But we will also find he provides many of our wants!

He is a generous Father! 

When we pray “Give us this day our daily bread,” we acknowledge he is the provider and generous giver.

So what about the provision we are looking for in the years to come? Should we pray for that? Absolutely! 

Here are a few that I pray for:

• Financial provision for all the expenses that come from teenage girls
• My kids' college
• My wife’s shoe and clothing budget
• Retirement 
• Financial provision for All Souls Church
• More Golf

I put these “wants” in God’s hands. I only “want” them if he wants them for me/us.

Sometimes we have other needs and wants:

• Financial goals
• A spouse
• Travel
• Hobbies
• Good friends
• Safety
• Car
• Vacation

We should also lift these things to God recognizing that he is our provider. 

What are you stressed or worried about?

Loss of job, loss of friendships, singleness, paying for school, transportation, a place to live, broken relationship, etc?

Lift these to the Lord and ask for his provision trusting he will provide what you need and whatever else he has for you.

And whatever he has for you is the best thing possible for your good and his glory.

Ultimately, this part of the Lord’s prayer is about learning to trust God. So lean in and ask him!

“Give us this day our daily/monthly/yearly/lifetime bread”

Not only will your stress and anxiety change, but your personal confidence in God will grow.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Harvey