Praying As Jesus Taught Us For Our Daily Bread

 Every now and then I look back to what we were writing and recording a year ago.  It gives me a sense of how long things have gone on hope for what is ahead.

We were writing about bread on this day in 2020.  Plain old bread and butter was something that I loved then and I still do.  I can’t eat a lot of it and maintain the proper glucose numbers I need to from day to day, but I still eat it and enjoy it in limited amounts. 

There are so many kinds of bread these days from multi grains to rye to sourdough – artisan breads too numerous to name.  For a while during the COVID-19 crisis many of the fresh breads and buns in the bins at the grocery store were off limits until they found a way for them to be handled safely from baker to customer. 

Since I live on my own I will sometimes just buy a baguette, cut it up in sections and freeze it and then in take out one section and put it in the microwave and either just butter it or put something healthy on it.  I totally understand Jesus’ prayer:  give us this day our daily bread.  I could eat it every day. 

There are so many stories in the Bible of how God provided bread for those who needed it.  You might remember how manna was given to the people of Israel every day for years while they journeyed in the desert.  When the prophet Elijah was on the run to save his life from a wicked queen, God sent ravens to bring Elijah bread.  Can you imagine that?  God provided enough flour and oil for a widow to make bread every day for a long time during a famine.  Jesus took 5 small loaves and 2 small fish – a boy’s lunch and multiplied it so that thousands were fed when they were hungry.

Jesus makes this amazing claim that we would do well to think about today. 

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.   John 6:35

In these days of the pandemic, more than ever, we need to come to Jesus for those things we need so we are sustained and healthy.  We’re so much more than a body that takes in bread.  We are a human soul with a spirit that God wants to fill with Himself.  So, let’s give Him an opportunity to do that shall we.  Let’s pray:

The Lord’s Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those

who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil,

for thine is the kingdom and the power

and the glory, forever. Amen.

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.  Isaiah 55:2

Lord, we want to come to You for what will really satisfy us.  Help us to take time to listen to Your voice today and receive what You are providing for us.  Your words are the best food and they do us the most good. 

Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  Matthew 4:4

We can’t provide enough bread or anything else on our own.  As Jesus did, may we counter the lies and temptations we will surely face today with the word of God.  Your words are life.  Your words are filled with power.  Your words sustain us.  Your words set us free as we speak them and live according to them.

Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?  1 Corinthians 10:16

Once again, thank You for the Lord Jesus, who died on the cross for us to give Himself so we could have life forevers.  Whenever we can take communion at our church services these day, we pray that we will always give thanks for the cup - blood of Jesus shed for us and for the bread - His broken body given for us, for the life of the world.  We are grateful.  We want to feed on You in our hearts by faith today and every day.  Amen

Let’s have a great day enjoying the good things of life Jesus gives us – simple good things like bread and butter.