“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11
So far in our PRAYER SERIES we have introduced the first three signposts on the journey of prayer:
- Prayer is a miraculous RELATIONSHIP with “Our Father in heaven”
- Prayer is worshipful COMMUNION – “Hallowed be your Name”
- Prayer is total SURRENDER – “Your kingdom come, your will be done.”
Often the fourth petition in the Lord’s Prayer is presented as PETITION. Once we “get through” the preparatory work of the first three phrases, finally it’s time to bring out our laundry list of requests for the Lord – our “spiritual to-do list” for God. We often reduce prayer to nothing more than asking God to help us with our day to day problems.
Of course, this is part of prayer!
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
God invites us, even exhorts us, to bring all of our worries and concerns directly to Him. The apostle Paul also modeled for us proactive intercessory prayer, as he usually opens his letters with a prayer for the church to whom he was writing. For example:
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.”
Colossians 1:9-11
In fact, Paul pleads with believers to pray actively and regularly for him and for all other believers.
“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Ephesians 6:18-20
Our prayers do make a difference! In the sovereign plan of God He has chosen to use our weak, shortsighted requests to help accomplish His great works in the world. And as we learn to pray the first three phrases of the Lord’s Prayer, we tune our hearts and minds to the love, glory and purposes of God so that our requests are more aligned with His will.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
John 14:12-14
In prayer we are not telling God what to do – that is the mistake of MAGIC. But let’s not fall into the opposite error of FATALISM, and neglect the discipline and gift of prayer. When we pray IN THE NAME of Jesus (according to His will) and for the GLORY OF GOD, Jesus – our High Priest and Intercessor – has promised to do what we ask! So as we call on the Lord, let’s pray bold, Spirit-led, God-glorifying prayers – trusting Jesus to accomplish His work through us!
With all of that as preamble, this week (Feb. 20, 2022) we will study the phrase “our daily bread.” Yes, in this prayer we are expressing faith in our Father to give us everything we need. Yes, we are laying those daily petitions before His throne. Yes, these requests are CORPORATE – both “MY daily bread” and “OUR daily bread.”
But Jesus intended a deeper and more significant meaning to this prayer. It really isn’t about bread at all. Compare the two places where Jesus teaches his disciples to “Ask… Seek… and Knock…”
| Matthew 7:7-11 | Luke 11:9-13 |
| Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” |
The two passages are almost exactly identical. But there is one significant difference.
In Matthew, Jesus reassures his disciples (as he did in all of chapter 6) that their heavenly Father will take care of all of their physical needs. But in Luke, Jesus directs his disciples to their truer, deeper need: for the HOLY SPIRIT. Of course, this fits the life and ministry of Jesus!
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4
After 40 days in the wilderness (one day for each year Israel was in the desert), Jesus was hungry. He was at the limit of physical endurance for the human body. But where Israel failed, over and over, Jesus succeeded. Israel complained about lack of water, lack of food, lack of provision from God. They tested Him and grumbled against Him. But Jesus trusted His Father completely – because He knew it wasn’t about bread at all. It was about drawing LIFE and POWER from the presence of God. It was about learning to truly ABIDE in God’s love – to LIVE on His life-giving Words.
Jesus taught his followers this lesson, using the manna in the wilderness as an object lesson for how they should trust HIM.
Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
John 6:32-35
The “daily bread” that we truly need isn’t bread at all. It is JESUS. When we learn to come to Him each day, to rest in Him, to abide in Him, to make our home with Him as He has with us – then all of our deepest desires will be satisfied! Those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” will be satisfied! All who are thirsty, and come to Jesus to drink will not only have their spiritual thirst quenched, but the Holy Spirit will become in you “a spring of living water, welling up to eternal life!” (John 4:14).
Lord, give us all that we need each day. But above all, give us more of YOU!