Even as the 10 Commandments were divided into two tables, so this petition marks a shift in priorities from the things of heaven to the stuff of earth. Having begun in worship and praying the Lord's priorities would be advanced in the world and in and through our lives, it moves now to our personal concerns.

  

Daily bread is an epitome of all that pertains to the embodied life. It is not just food, but all we need to live our lives including clothing and a roof over our head, a job, health, and even things that contribute to our overall well-being such as safe neighborhoods, good schools, and just government. It is not unspiritual or a misplaced priority to ask for these things because the embodied life is a good thing. God created us specifically for this manner of life and gave his benediction on it on the sixth day of creation.

  

The Lord does limit us in this prayer to daily need. Of course the original audience of Jesus lived in a world where food preservation was very limited and people lived in significantly closer relationship between the land and their dinner table. But despite our international economies and modern conveniences, daily prayer and trusting dependence on God's provision is still very applicable to us.

  

The Bible does teach prudent preparation and decision making. The book of Proverbs is full of verses which instruct us to plan for future need and gradually store up for a rainy day. But there is a weirdness that comes upon us when we stockpile far beyond what prudence would dictate. We can store up enough that suddenly we grow fearful it will be taken from us, or we feel anxiety when some of our surplus must be used. We can also start to think of ourselves as being morally superior to others because we have made such wise and prudent choices along the way. Another place our minds can go is finding security in the resources themselves and not in God.

  

1. We start with thankfulness. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 teaches us to give thanks in all circumstances. Whether we are in a season of lean circumstances or abundance, we must trust that God is our loving and dependable provider and give Him thanks. Not only is gratitude the right response to a gracious God, but it is well-known that gratitude helps re-frame our thinking and emotions in a more positive direction.

  

2. We continue with contentment.   In the book of Philippians (4:10-13), Paul writes from a prison cell in Rome to thank this church for a generous gift they sent. In this letter, he shares his secret of contentment. Paul says he has had abundance and great need and has found contentment in both, because the Lord has given him the strength to endure hardship and abound in blessing. Paul's famous line "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (V13)" is an interesting statement.   It's easy to see how we need the Lord's strength in hardship, but we don't generally think we need his help to endure a blessing but we do, probably even more so in America!

Contentment is not found in having more or your station in life. These circumstances can change rather quickly in today's world. Contentment is found in the Lord and being focused on what he has provided, not what he has not. Perhaps the best way to pray here is simply, "Lord, help me to desire more of You and less of this world's goods." That's not how Madison Avenue has trained you, but it makes contentment a greater possibility.

  

3. We end in generosity. When I consider how God made this world, it is wired for generosity. Every living thing on earth, including humans, comes from seed of some form, and the abundance of this is staggering. If every seed sown actually germinated, this world couldn't possibly have room for all that would be produced.

This is not the world we live in today. There are a host of reasons people suffer from poverty and want in this world and I'm certain of this: it can't be fixed completely until the Lord returns. But as we ask for daily bread, we are praying for our, not my, daily bread. We should pray beyond ourselves to our other brothers and sisters in need. This is a local and global concern. We should also pray, Lord, how much of my abundance is your provision for the needy? God loves a cheerful giver because He is one Himself. When He gives us more, we need to think is this all so I can up my standard of living or is it so I can up my standard of giving?

See you Sunday,

Pastor Chris