“Give us this day our daily bread” – Matthew 6: 11
This past Sunday we celebrated World Communion Sunday. Churches around the world gathered and celebrated the gift of Holy Communion. Communion is one of the most significant acts in our faith. When we celebrate Communion, we encounter the life-giving gift of God’s grace. We find forgiveness for our sins, and the power of God to live the life God intends for us to live.
Just before we shared Communion with one another, we prayed together. The prayer we said was The Lord’s Prayer. This prayer is found in the Gospel of Matthew. It appears right in the middle of The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6, and 7). In the middle of the prayer that Jesus taught is the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Mathew 6:11) I have thought about this phrase several times since that worship.
The phrase “our daily bread” is a reminder to everyone who prays this prayer of how God constantly cares for His children. It specifically reminds us of how God fed the Hebrew people as they traveled in the wilderness (Exodus 16). God rained down manna (or bread) from heaven. Each day the people would gather what they needed. They were to only gather enough for that day and have faith God would provide again the next day. Each day, God provided.
When we pray this prayer, we are not only reminded how God once provided, but that God is still at work, caring for the needs of God’s people. God supplies us so many wonderful gifts. He cares for our physical needs. God cares for our souls. God constantly provides for us.
As God’s children we can pray this prayer with great confidence. The story of our faith teaches us that God has constantly provided for His people throughout history. God is still at work, caring for His children. Today, we can give thanks for all God has done to care for us, and with great confidence, we can once again ask for our daily bread.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
