Dear Redeemer Friends,
We were counting our pennies. My sister and I were in high school and our mom had asked us to stop by the store and get bread on the way home. We grabbed a loaf of Wonder bread and took it to the register. The cashier announced the sum total of maybe $.70 and we both look at each other hoping the other has money. We soon start digging into our pocket books and begin counting out a few dimes, nickels and pennies on the conveyor belt. We got so tickled we could not stop laughing.The poor cashier patiently waited somewhat expressionless and recounted our change and gave us the bread.
Bread. It’s been a staple for society for thousands of years. And when Jesus references it in his prayer- he means bread, but also more than bread- our daily sustenance. Early on the Lord would tell Adam that he would have to work the cursed ground to have bread. This bread would come at a cost. And yet in Jesus’ prayer he is asking the Father to “give us” this bread. We are still so dependent on the Lord. Matthew Henry writes, “The greatest of men must be beholden to the mercy of God for their daily bread”. It would seem this is part of His grace to us amidst the curse- amidst our sin- amidst our brokenness. He brings bread.
Now, we have a friend who makes the most delicious bread. In fact, if it shows up on my porch, I think. “Who else has seen this? Can I hide it without any repercussions?”. It’s that good- that I would be tempted to deceive my own family. This bread lasts about 2 seconds in my house, and it’s frustrating. I want it to last forever. Jesus knows our hearts. He says to give us our “daily” bread- not our weekly, monthly, yearly, or one and done bread. This requires us to return to the Lord- to experience need and to have to ask and draw near to our Father.
Yes, once again we come to the reality we are praying to “our” Father. Jesus guides us to ask for bread for “us” not “me”. We are a part of a family. We ask for this sustenance for our brothers and sister- we feel their need alongside ours.
In my natural state, I do not want to ask for daily bread. I want to order it on my grocery store website and feel in control. The Lord wants more for us than to “feel” in control. He knows that is not safe or secure for us. He is.
So next time you put your grocery store order in, park to get your groceries, or walk in to grab that last item- recite- “give us this day our daily bread”. Cry out for you or your family that is truly dependent on the Lord for those groceries that will go in your trunk. Cry out on behalf of your neighbors and others across our city that struggle with food insecurity. Cry out on behalf of our sisters and brothers across the world that are hungry. “Give us this day our daily bread”. We trust and know it goes deeper than bread but is also not less than bread. Let us praise and worship this King who gives us our daily bread and also who is the “bread of life” Himself together this Sunday.
Warmly,
Jen Sanders
RPC Director of Care and Connection
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread