This prayer holds within itself many a divine truth.
The words “Give us” shows our dependence and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for our daily meal not only of the one who prays but also for all in the family & fellowship of believers. The whole body of Christ is taken in faith to the throne of God. when we say this prayer, don’t feel we are alone rather we are with the family of the mystical body of Christ and we are interceding for every member in the family of God fulfilling the great commandment of the Lord “Love your neighbor as you love yourself”.
This prayer should be a mechanical unwinding which does not have the attestation of our faith and spirit. The one who looks into our hearts should feel that we really depend on him for our daily needs even though we have things in our storeroom and good credit in the bank account. In other words without gratitude and hope in the power of God who opened the doors of heaven for Moses and his followers, do not stand to do this prayer.
We are reminded by the Word of God we read in the first few verses of Matthew 4, that we are to seek the will of God in any and all provision, decision including our basic food habits. The culture or the custom in society and our past traits in our food habits should not influence us when they are not in tune with scriptural teaching.
In other words, we cannot pray for food and material which God does not want us to have and enjoy. And one who stands to offer this prayer is under an obligation to abstain from all such forbidden food and things and never be overcome by the temptation to make stone into bread, even if we are on the verge of dying due to starvation.
Wait, think with the wisdom of God before executing your desire, passion, craving for food or material wellbeing. Remain uninfluenced by persons, ideas, philosophies, teachings, likings, desires/cravings when you spend on fulfilling your needs even the very basic one – food, instead be guided by wisdom & prudence.
Being Gods children is our very right, enjoy this life within the boundary of God’s law and gratify all our needs and wants but not greed- that is why we are asked to say this prayer by our Lord who appears in chapter one of Genesis.
THANK GOD FOR THE HUNGER YOU HAVE!
The Bible says the love and compassion of the Lord is new every morning (Lam 3:22,23). And God has fixed for everyone “Today” for salvation (Heb 4:7). God is more concerned about our spiritual blessings and benefits which may lead us into maturity and character to entitle us to eternal life. Hence one says this payer looking at the grace of God which He wills to shower to work for the glory of the Master and to exercise all the duties attached to His office viz as a father, mother, husband, wife, son, daughter, teacher, pastor, neighbour, doctor etc., manifesting the love and compassion of our master – Christ.
I am not to trust in my flesh for the power and energy to fulfill my duties and responsibilities given by my God, but on the strength and the grace of the Lord (Col 1:29). The grace of God (2 Cor 12:9) is the power of God to overcome my fallen nature and to perform the will of God in my life. Therefore I need not worry about tomorrow or future as I live today on God’s grace. The Lord doesn’t ask us to pray for “Food” for tomorrow/future. This means that God lives everyday as He is the Great I AM to make me stand on the rock and to give His grace for my daily life. Jehovah did not allow the Israelites to gather and keep Manna for the coming days. Jesus teaches to depend and trust in the power of His mighty hand which can provide whatever we need in our daily life extending the benefit of the salvation he achieved for us through His death, burial and resurrection.
The word “Today” again reminds us that we should not exceed the limit God has put by disowning His presence in our lives. We have a daily walk with God being new creations, as the scripture says “we walk by faith not by sight”. This warns us not to involve in anything which steals away our salvation because “This is the day the Lord has made and Today is the day of Salvation”.
When God makes a day for us, there is His grace and provision to sustain us. We are God’s children adorned with His Love.
THANK YOU, GOD FOR TODAY !
The word “Bread” includes the following spiritual meaning:
1. Food for our body and other basic material needs.
Exodus 23:25-26 says, Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span. Everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and payer (1 Timothy 4:4,5). Jesus declared all foods to be clean (Mark 7:19). Any eatable which does not come under the definition of food by the Lord Jesus Christ is not at all food (e.g., cannibalism, drugs, alcohol, food offered to idols (Acts15:20), prohibited drugs, intoxicants, meat with blood, etc.,) The body of a human has been designed by the creator in such a way that he may eat food made available by the creator himself and any variation from this design and plan will attract its consequences – physical as well as spiritual. Therefore honor the Creator in obedience. The fire of hunger can only be extinguished by the proper expellant.
2. Food for our mind and emotions.
As the body is strengthened by food, our emotions are strengthened by joy of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10). Therefore I should keep my emotions and my mind in peace rejoicing always. Whenever I don’t feel like rejoicing I am to rejoice – because this is the food for our emotions. Thus Paul says in Philippians 4:4, rejoice always, regardless of situations. Hence, ask the Holy Spirit to produce his fruit “JOY” in our attitude.
3. Food for our soul and spirit.
Matthew 4:4 says man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands, so that you may enjoy long life (Deuteronomy 6:2). The Lords word is sweeter than honey (Psalms119:103) and we are to long for the Lord’s percepts (Psalm119:40). His laws are perfect, trustworthy, and reviving to the soul (Psalm19:7). Man being a spiritual being, the spirit within a man cannot be alive unless it is feed with the creator’s word which contains the energy to the spirit as the trees get energy from the sun. You and I look at the Righteous Son and we live on His word (John 6:68, Matthew7:24).
4. Food – Performing the will of God.
John 4:34 – this is food, when we pray for our daily bread we are offering ourselves to do the will of God for the day in our life. This will alert us to be sensitive to the Lord to read His mind with the help of the Holy Spirit and move strictly according to the plan of God for us. We should not choose our own plans and the plans offered by people if they are against the will of God the father. In other words when we say this prayer we are seeking God’s grace to work through us that His work may be done by us His servants. Thus this food is the grace of God available for us.
5. Food – Healing from the Lord
Matthew 15:25-28 – Healing is the children’s bread. We all are God’s children through the blood of Jesus as we have been born again by the work of the Holy Spirit ( John 3:3-7) and have become the members of the family of God – The Heavenly Father (Romans 8:14,15). Therefore we are eligible for healing which is called the children’s bread in the scripture; and when we say the Lord’s prayer we are receiving by faith the healing power of the Lord in His broken body and shed blood – the Bread of Life. Life in the Bread (Jesus) gives us healing (1Peter 2:24)
THANK GOD FOR THE BREAD YOU EAT!