Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Okay, I'm going to step out on a limb here and say that this one really isn't hard for me, but just as I type it I realize why it isn't. I was going to say that I am pretty good at believing that the only reason I ever have anything to eat is because God has in some way provided it, but then again, I do not live a needy life. Our family is blessed way beyond measure, and it is very clear to us that we should not be living the life we are if it were not up to God. How we make it month to month still boggles my mind.

Anyways, this part of the phrase is straightforward and cuts to the chase. This in no new principle, its the same thing the Israelites had to learn in the wilderness: God is the one who provides for our needs. We are to petition the Lord in faith to take care of our needs. I think an important part of this section is the fact that we are to ask daily. The Israelites were only given enough food for one day (except for the Sabbath I think), and any extra that they took would be bad by the next day. God wants to rely on him at all times, which is interesting, because humans tend to have this problem with self reliance. I also need to remember that I am not asking for the Lord to give me my daily bread, but to give us our daily bread, once again signifying the corporate aspect of prayer. Very simply: we are to ask God to provide for all of our needs, and humbly rely on Him to provide them. 

¶ 2/21/2005 03:47:00 PM