Today’s Reading: Matthew 6:11 (HCSB)
Therefore, you should pray like this… Give us today our daily bread.
Today’s Question: What need has God neglected to provide for you?
Today’s Commentary:
Depending on the circumstances, I could survive more than a week without food (if forced to). I could survive less than a few days without water to drink. I have only about 15 minutes to live without a piece of candy in my mouth. That’s the reality of my life.
My greatest need is not water, food, or even oxygen to breath. I could not survive a millisecond without the grace of God. We must stop and realize that our Creator has supplied us with all our needs.
Looking at the Disciple’s Prayer in Jesus’ delivery of a mountainside message, he says that we should pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” There are five observations about this request that I want to make:
1. Now that we have focused on who God is, His perfection and greatness, and aligned our desires to that of God’s, we can make our petitions. We first can ask God to meet our needs. God will supply, but we need to humble ourselves and ask for God’s sustenance. There is no self-made man that is in the will of God.
2. “Give”- Everything God gives us is a gift. We do not deserve anything from Him. He is gracious even in supplying the very next breath of air we bring into our lungs.
3. “Us”- This is a prayer of intercession for others. Notice the plural pronoun. This is not simply about what I need, but what we need.
4. “This Day”- God wants us to rely on Him daily. When we worry, we become overly concerned about tomorrow. Ultimately this is an issue of trust.
5, “Daily Bread”- This can be interpreted literally and figuratively. Literally, God sends us the food and sustenance we need for each moment. Figuratively, Jesus said of Himself, “I am the Bread of Life.” Then He taught His disciples, “No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again.” In this passage of John 6:35, He is clearly speaking of a spiritual “bread.” The bottom line is that Jesus has promised to provide for our needs—all of our needs. Our part is simply to trust Him.
“Follow One, Lead Others” Principle #33: Christians are called to trust God to supply every need that he or she may have.
Today’s Prayer Point: Would you pray that God would use your life to meet the physical and spiritual needs of others?
Shepherding Well 