ON PRAYER (7)
“Give us this day our daily bread.” —Matthew 6:11
From my perspective, this is the most remarkable verse in this short prayer; not by what it includes, but in what it does not! It is the only “gimme” verse in the whole prayer, and that alone should tell us something. How much would be eliminated from the average prayer life (that is, of those who do pray) if the only material request was for “survival rations?” If all I ever asked from God was just enough to stay alive?
It is certainly not in the nature of man to be satisfied with that. One of our favorite words is “more.” It has been said that when John D. Rockefeller was asked how much a man has to have, to have enough, he responded, “A little bit more.” Certainly our era would make that premise true. Whether at the top of the economic spectrum or at the bottom, man is never satisfied. If we have a house, we want a bigger one. A car, we want a newer one. A meal, we want a better one or a different one. And on it goes. We are always looking for greener grass—and more of it. And this kind of mentality all too often creeps (or leaps) into our prayer life.
The fact is that the gospel of Christ does not indicate that “God wants you to be rich,” but, as the context will show, He wants us to be righteous—and content. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all [necessary] things shall be added unto you (See, and meditate on vss. 24-34).”
The reference to “daily bread” doubtless stands for life’s basic necessities. As we cultivate that attitude in prayer that seeks only what God is pleased to provide, we are reminded of at least two things. First, that we are dependent upon God for everything. We are tragically tempted to think that “daily bread” comes from the supermarket by way of the weekly paycheck. But it does not. God “opens [His] hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing [Ps. 145:16].” If He should close His hand, and nothing grew, we would perish. Second, God does what He does “daily.” He wills a sustained communion on our part that eventuates in His provision “one day at a time.” If we sincerely pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we will pray every day!
The great illustration and commentary on all this is Israel’s experience in the wilderness. Released from the hand of their adversary by the “mighty hand of God,” they faced one major crisis: the need for “bread” in a barren land—enough to meet the need of six hundred thousand men, plus women and children every day! When the Israelites complained against Moses, God responded, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no [Exodus 16:4, italics added].” Bread from heaven, every day—for forty years!—but they were not satisfied. They wanted “more!” The whole account is astonishing, and we cannot pursue it further here, but it is a remarkable backdrop for the Savior’s ordered petition in this “model” prayer, and an important checkpoint for our prayer life.
What are you asking God for? Or, what are you working so hard to obtain that you do not have time for prayer; especially a prayer that solicits only survival for His glory? It is one of the great challenges of this prayer seldom thought of when the prayer is “recited” in an ecclesiastical ritual.
Not only can we have to look back to Israel in the wilderness to learn something of the Lord’s perspective, but we can look ahead to the epistles to see the principle in view spelled out. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the apostle Paul speaks of “…men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth, [who suppose] that gain (“God wants you to be rich”) is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (“survival gear”) let us therewith be content…For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows [Cf. I Tim. 6:5-10 and context].”
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me [Heb. 13:5-6].” Could I limit my prayer to a petition for “daily bread” if I had no funded healthcare? No 401K? No social security? No stash for retirement? No subsidy for “fun?” For a believer it is a question well worth asking.
May God enable us to answer in concert with the apostle, “…I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me [Phil. 4:11-13].” It will change the way we pray. “Pilgrims (can) travel light.”
"Pastor" Frasier
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