January 11 Give Us Bread

Luke 11:3 “Give us each day our daily bread.” 
 
WHEN a disciple desired to be more as Jesus, he inquired of the Savior, “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1) Jesus responded with 1) Address God worshipfully with “Father”. 2) Pray for God’s name to be made holy and reverent in your heart and throughout the world. 3) Pray for the God’s kingdom to come completely to earth. Now 4) Pray for your daily food.
   Some of you reading this know how important a pray plea this is. You see people and children who have too little to eat. You have personally – and perhaps today – wondered, “When will my family eat again?” You, my friends in Africa, sometimes write, “We need food now.”
   In contrast, most of us have been blessed to know we have as much available to us as we desire. How do very different groups of people – some wondering, “Will food be on the table?”  – others expecting food before them as a natural way of life – together pray, “Give us each day our daily bread.” with reverence and supplication to God? 
   Jesus’ teaching here points us to the source of our daily food. Regardless of our circumstances, you are to pray in this manner to confess to God, “You are my Provider. Food comes to me by your hand. I pray your hand will be open today, so I will eat.”
   In this fourth petition, Jesus also reminds the Jews it was God’s hand that kept their ancestors alive in the exodus desert. Exodus 16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.”  You could say Jesus was still testing his people. As God the Father wanted to see Israel’s faith to go and get the manna each day (but the Sabbath), the Son of God still called on Israel to faithfully trust God for their daily provision of food.
   If you are challenged with too little food, faithfully stay with God. Seek him. Seek his hand to feed you. Pray for God’s provision. Be open to the ways he provides for you. If you have plenty to eat, be aware of who has brought it to your table. All things come from God. Be thankful. Be humble.   
   Also, be content. Notice Jesu didn’t teach us to pray, “Give us all we want.” He taught us to pray for our basic needs. “Give us this day our daily bread.” is a prayer to say, “I have all I need from you, Lord, as food is before me each day.” Keep your mind on the essentials and be pleased in the Lord.
   1 Timothy 6:8-9 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 
  
Prayer: Father in Heaven, give to me the daily bread to nourish my family and for children who have too little. I pray for physical strength, good health and a strong mind that I may be effective for you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.