Give Us This Daily Bread
Monday— “Give us this day our daily bread…” Matthew 6:11
Daily bread? But we have 401Ks, retirement packages, and insurance. Do we really need to ask God for our daily bread? What does that mean for much of western culture in the 21st century? Consider Sal: 46, twice married, good stock portfolio, eyeing a summer house when he retires. Then a stroke at 47 wiped out his savings and earning potential. Died at 60, alone and broke. Or Peg: believed bitcoin gurus and took out a loan to buy more. Lost it all and barely scrapes by. What do these two have in common? They put their faith in what they believed to be secure only to find out it was not. Should have asked for daily bread.
When we ask God for what we need every day, we’re reminding ourselves that without His provision, nothing is guaranteed. Stock markets crash and so does our health. Friends betray us, disasters happen, and sure things often turn out to be not so sure. Jesus included this line in His model prayer to remind us that we need God. Every one of us. Every day. Without Him keeping oxygen in the atmosphere, the sun within its bounds and the oceans in theirs, we wouldn’t last a second. He’s gracious enough to sustain us whether we ask or not, but asking keeps our confidence in the right place. Instead of seeking security in bank balances or an acceptable BMI, we remind ourselves that without God’s provision every day, we won’t make it.
Challenge: We stay healthier spiritually when we ask God each day for what we need and trust Him to provide it.
Prayer: Father, I get so busy trying to provide for myself that I forget it’s only you that keeps me going. You provide health, opportunities, relationships, and resources to meet my needs. I acknowledge that all good things are gifts from you. Amen.
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Tuesday— Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6
Ella knelt by her comatose son’s hospital bed. With one hand on his small one, she prayed, “Oh God, it doesn’t look good. But you’re the God of miracles and you say to ask for what I need. So I am asking that you work in his little body and heal what’s broken. May he grow up to praise and honor you, knowing he’s a miracle and saved for a purpose.” She wiped her eyes and gazed with love on her baby. There. She’d done it. He was in God’s hands now and she would accept whatever God thought best. Peace flooded her soul and she smiled. It would be alright, no matter what happened. Then a tiny finger moved.
Aren’t we thankful that the Creator of the universe invites us to bring all our requests to Him? It doesn’t make sense that He would care, but He does and tells us to ask for everything from daily bread to healing. He hears and carefully evaluates every request. Only He knows whether our request will be granted, but He offers supernatural peace while we wait. It’s not a peace we can manufacture. It transcends circumstances and whispers to our yearning spirits: “God has heard and you can trust Him with the outcome.” Peace comes from believing that God knows more than we do and His answers are always for the best.
Challenge: God wants to hear everything on your heart, but also wants you to trust Him with the answers.
Prayer: Father, help me accept when your answer is no. I know you want the best for me, so if you don’t provide it, I don’t need it. It’s okay to ask for anything, but help me trust you when your answer isn’t mine. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Wednesday— When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives… James 4:2-3
Becka flopped face down on her bed and sighed. “I’m so bummed,” she moaned. “I’ve been asking Mom for that Luis Vuitton bag since forever! She’s so mean, she keeps saying no.” Her sister Meg tossed a pillow at her. “I thought you got one for Christmas,” she said. Becka sat up and rolled her eyes. “That old thing was a knockoff from Ross. Not the real thing. I don’t see why I have to dress like a beggar.” Meg lifted a brow at her sister’s overflowing closet. “Hardly a beggar, Beck. You know Mom can’t afford stuff like that. Even if she could, I don’t think she’d buy it. It’s a dumb waste of money, and Mom’s not dumb.”
God’s not dumb either and He warns us that much of what we pray for, we’re not going to get because it’s not good for us. Becka didn’t want the purse because she needed a purse. She wanted the designer label so she could make other girls jealous. Receiving what she asked for was not good for her, so her wise mom said no. Sometimes God has to say no, too, because He can’t bless our motives. They’re often selfish. We want others to envy us or think we’re something we’re not. Obsessed with comparison, we race to the Botox needles, the designer stores, or the sportscar showrooms to prove we’re good enough. Sometimes, we put a spiritual spin on it by asking God, but even as we do, we know what His answer will be. He’s a wise Dad and if a request is not good for us, He says no. He’s eyeing a better plan and aren’t we glad He is?
Challenge: When God says no to a request, ask Him to reveal your true motive for asking.
Prayer: Father, I admit that some of my motives in asking you for things are not ones you can bless. Help me be honest with myself for the reasons behind my request. When I pray in line with your will, I know you’ll grant them. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Thursday— And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Mathew 6:7
“You must recite this mantra one hundred times,” instructed the guru. “Then switch to this one,” he handed a fistful of pages to the young convert, “and read it twenty times. The rest are prayers you must pray five times a day, on a special mat, at certain times, and possibly the gods will grant your requests.” He leaned back and peered at his protégé over the tops of his reading glasses. “Don’t forget the sacrifices. The gods like those. You can leave the first installment on the table as you go.” Jesus addressed that kind of nonsense when He taught His followers how to reach the Father. We’d be wise to listen to Him.
We humans love religion. When we invent a religion, we include lists of rules and requirements guaranteed to appease whatever deity we’ve created. Checklists tell us how we’re doing. “Four more boxes to check,” we think,” and then surely God will be satisfied.” But our Father in heaven only shakes his head. “No, no…that’s how the pagans do it. My way is for you to go into your closet and talk to me. I will hear and answer you. I don’t speak King James English either, so you’re not more spiritual when you use Thee’s and Thou’s. Don’t show off. When sincere words come from your heart, I will listen and reward you.”
Challenge: Connecting with God is simple: speak honestly and humbly from your heart. He promises to hear and answer.
Prayer: Father, I’ve tried to substitute spiritual-sounding language for real heart prayer, but it must sound like pagan babble to you. Help me get real with you, talking from my heart. I believe you hear and will answer. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Friday— For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10
Burt had never won anything until his lottery number was called. Overnight, he catapulted from night janitor to multi-millionaire. For the next year, he wallowed in cash, cars, houses, vacations, and enough bling to be seen from Mars. It was a fantasy come true—for a while. But ten years later, he was pushing a broom again, worse off than before. His family had left him, con artists robbed him, and champagne tastes left him with a list of addictions. Was money the cause? No. Money is never the problem. It’s the LOVE of money that gets us into trouble. Instead of owning the money, Burt let the money own him.
Asking God for daily bread keeps us humble and grateful. But when we think we own the bread factory, we become arrogant and entitled. Our lust for more money can lead us into some shady deals, ethical compromises, and haughty attitudes. Begging God for more, even when we have what we need, shows Him we have a greed problem. If we’ve already mismanaged what He gave us, why would He give more? Our Father, in His infinite wisdom, wants us to learn. To grant our request might ruin us. So He withholds what we’re begging for, telling us instead to learn contentment. Sometimes a NO is for our long-term good.
Challenge: Could it be that your love of money, or your mismanagement of it, prevents God from giving you more?
Prayer: Father, I want to learn to be a good steward and content with what you have given me. If you give me more, I will use it the way you want me to. Help me become the kind of person you can trust with abundance. In Jesus’ name, amen.
