I found these comments online and think they appropriately describe cultural thinking in light of the third petition in the Lord’s Prayer:
“We live in a world that praises the stockpile. From buying in bulk to building five-year plans, our natural instinct is to secure enough resources to guarantee we won’t need to ask for help tomorrow. We want God to give us a lifetime supply of answers, provision, and security all at once, but He invites us into a rhythm of daily dependence.”
This is why Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)
This is one of the most important verses in the Bible for my friend, Rudy Ross. He interprets “daily bread” to refer to the Bible. When Rudy became a follower of Jesus, he read the Bible cover to cover every six weeks for several years. Rudy is very disciplined when it comes to food, but is a glutton with regard to the daily bread of God’s word.
Rudy understands that the “bread” of God’s word isn’t just a side dish; it is the staple food of his life. You may remember Adelle Davis’s famous phrase concerning food, “You are what you eat.” My friend is a good example of that fact. He has consumed so much of the Bible that it is reflected in who he is.
If you listen to our YouTube videos, you will often hear Rudy, Bruce Kirby, and me confess our sins. The three of us are old men who continue to be works in progress. With that being said, I have seen Rudy in stressful situations. You learn who someone is when they are squeezed. When you put pressure on Rudy, what comes out is the life that God has built in him through his daily partaking of the bread of God’s word.
Practical Needs
People over the years have told me that they don’t pray for themselves because they don’t want to be selfish. I respond by encouraging them to pray. I say, “Right in the best prayer that has ever been prayed, Jesus invites us to ask for our daily bread needs.”
It is not selfish to pray for our needs. This is different from the humorous Janis Joplin song: “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz? My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.” God is a loving Heavenly Father who delights to give His children what they need.
When I reach this verse in the Lord’s Prayer, I turn my attention to needs that range from my family to places in the world I have only read about.
I have a mental globe. I begin where I live and see the faces of friends and family members who have needs. Then, I flash a prayer for God to help them with what they need for the day.
After friends and family, I turn to various locations in the world. I see their locations on the map and again pray for their daily bread needs to be satisfied.
I finally travel in my imagination to Washington, D.C., Moscow, Beijing, and other places of influence. I ask the Lord to give decision-makers what they need for the day.
Take Action
Whether we seek God’s bread for our daily spiritual needs or the bread of material necessities, this prayer encourages us to take action.
Try identifying a specific worry you have right now. Ask God to give you the wisdom, strength, and provision to meet that need. It may be that your greatest need is a hunger for God’s word. You may not devote the time and energy to reading the entire Bible every six weeks, but you will find the grace to be nourished by God’s word each day.
When you are praying, “Give us this day our daily bread,” you aren’t asking God to fill your bank account or a warehouse. You are asking Him to supply the needs you have for the day.
If you are not already aware of the vast needs of impoverished and often oppressed people, please get acquainted with them. While you are praying this model prayer, ask God to meet those needs.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this prayer on YouTube today.
Real Voices 