(This study was written by Ben Sternke as part of our prayer journey with Christ Church, Fort Wayne)
Today we continue our week of focusing on the Lord’s Prayer by heading into the third petition of the prayer, found in Matthew 6:11
“Give us today out daily bread”
As we pray for God’s name to be hallowed and for his kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven, we pray this simple petition; that God would grant us our “daily bread,” which refers to everything we need for day-to-day life. It’s an image that hearkens back to God’s provision for the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, providing manna to eat and sustaining their clothing so it didn’t wear out.
It’s a very simple request that we would be given what we need to continue to join with God in bringing his kingdom on earth.
This is the way children do it, isn’t it? If I discovered that my children were saving up scraps of leftover food in their beds, just in case we ran out, I’d have reason to be alarmed. A child in a healthy family trusts her parents to provide day by day. My children don’t fret over how much food is in the cupboards or monitor our supply of milk. They don’t ask for a box of crackers so they can spread them out over a week; they simply ask for a snack when they are hungry. This is as it should be.
Jesus teaches us to pray in the same way: asking for the things we need for today. Food and clothing, yes, but also for spiritual strength, emotional stability, grace to make it through another moment. Graham Cooke says there’s no such thing as good days or bad days, only days of grace. Sometimes you receive grace to enjoy the day. Other times you receive grace to endure the day. But either way, we pray for and receive the “daily bread” of God’s provision and grace day by day.
Prayer Exercise
Spend some time slowly reading through Philippians 4:6-7:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- Then, turn your attention and focus to God. Still yourself and become aware of his presence with you. Then work through the following exercise, based on an old Quaker prayer exercise:
- Start with your palms facing up, and let those things you are worrying about come into your mind.
- One by one, speak out those worries and imagine them filling up in your hands.
- Then, turn your hands over so your palms are facing down, releasing those situations and worries into God’s hands.
- Then present your requests to God – ask God for “daily bread” for each situation, each worry.
- After you have released your worries and prayed for provision, wait for the promised peace of God and rest in his presence.
Well it’s definitely taking some time and dedication for me to really read and work through these exercises in prayer, but I feel it’s long over due.
Day 3’s exercise really struck me in particular and thus I decided it was time to speak up. The other church I attend is doing a 21 day fast and I felt it would be good to participate in the fast as we are working through prayer. As you can imagine for a “foodie” like me, by yesterday when I did this exercise, I was pretty dang hungry. So while I took the time to pray through my worries and ask God for provision, I also asked that He give me the strength to continue to deny my flesh, (or really deny my tummy) so that I might grow closer to Him during this time of prayer and REALLY hear what He is telling me. It was an enlightening experience to say the least. No today, day 4, when I was really hungry and I would have given my left arm for a sandwich, I remembered that while my flesh is weak, God will lend me the strength I need to proceed. It doesn’t mean that I don’t still want to cave and go eat Subway, but for the time being I am resting in Him and overcoming my wants. Pretty cool as far as I am concerned.
I’m glad the exercise was helpful, Kayce. Fasting is traditionally associated with an increased awareness of the provision God grants us in the kingdom, and can be a remarkably effective way to become more aware of God’s presence and provision in our lives, as well as how many ways we instinctively turn to other sources for provision and comfort. Keep it up!
Nicely said Kayce. I appreciate how you’ve articulated that so we can really see what you learned experimentally. You should comment more!
I was struggling a bit as I was thinking through this post and what our “daily bread” really looks like. What do we really need to sustain us? Have we over complicated our lives with more stuff than we really need? Our simple request has turned into a lot more than just food and clothing. Isn’t God’s plan to use us his people to provide daily bread for those that are truly hungry and in need of love, relationships, spiritual strength, emotional stability and grace. How are people who struggle to meet their basic needs suppose to receive God’s provision without us being the hands and feet of Jesus?
I feel that tension too Crissy. For my part, the key comes in recognizing that the provision we receive is a gift – that’s why we pray for it in recognition that we’re dependent on God – and as a gift it must be shared. Gifts are not merely privately owned commodities that happen to come at no charge; they’re gracious provisions that are meant to be shared.
“Graham Cooke says there’s no such thing as good days or bad days, only days of grace. Sometimes you receive grace to enjoy the day. Other times you receive grace to endure the day.”
I’m just in awe over reading that – and I’ve never even heard of Graham Cooke. That a great new way of viewing it! I’ll have to steal *cough* – uh, I mean, *Borrow* that for my facebook page.:-)
I REALLY loved that verse you pointed out as well. It’s so needed and a Great reminder. I vaguely remember trying that exercise before (to some degree) but I don’t believe it was exactly in this way. I’d like to spend more time repeating it. It seemed to be a good visual effect and symbolic way of getting through to the point of the message.
Sorry Julie, I already stole the comment and put it on my facebook.
So I did this exercise the other day and thought to myself, OK, that was nice but do I really trust God to provide my needs? No not really.
Then today as I am coming back from picking up my husband and son from the airport and complaining how I need a vacation, we stopped at a light and I notice an old man on the side of the road with a card board sign that said, “Please, I’m Hungry” I’m looking around for my purse and I’m really agitated because I can’t find it, finally I say out loud, doesn’t somebody have some money on them?! My husband pulls out the cash in his pocket and I command him to give the guy the 5$ I see lying in his palm. Dave rolls down the window and the old man hobbles over to the car, not only is he old but he is also crippled. Dave hands the man the money and the guy not only profusely thanks us but He also says God Bless You. Now I am so pissed off I almost cry. I rail loudly to my poor family in the car against a society who doesn’t take care of it’s poor, it’s old, it’s crippled. But is that who I am really mad at? Could I be mad at a God who allows this old, crippled man to have to beg on the street? Or am I mad at myself because I allow it? Give us this day our daily bread…….
That is one of the rawest and most powerful things I’ve read in a long time. Thanks for sharing.