Prayer Warriors pray for daily bread

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.  Matthew 6:9-11 NIV

Principle: Prayer Warriors consistently acknowledge God as the source of their income.

Over the next few blog entries I will address some ideas that we can incorporate in our prayers from some of the prayer models identified in scripture of which the chief among them is the one we have come to know as the Lord’s Prayer.

Shortly after Katy was born a friend encouraged us that we should apply and use food stamps as a way to feed our family.  Having 5 children ages 5 and under and with the income I was making, we more than qualified for the assistance.  I was full time in seminary and working two part time jobs, but a gap still existed.  Pam was incredibly frugal and always provided us with healthy meals.  It was during this time that I homed in on perfecting making pancakes for breakfast.

After 6 months, we both were convicted that God had another path for us.  We could see how easy it would be to become dependent on that source to feed our family.  We had prayed and read that God can take can of the sparrows, and how much more valuable are we to him.  Does God really see our need?

We both agreed that this was the last time that Pam would go and receive the food stamps.  I did not have a raise or any financial increase coming that we could use to make up the difference.  We determined that God alone would be the one to whom we expressed our need.  Two weeks later a lady from our church brought Pam 2 full bags of groceries.  She and her husband had no children.  She loved to go coupon shopping.  It was her joy to give the extra groceries to people in need. 

On this occasion, the Lord impressed her that we should be the recipients of her blessing.  Pam and I cried at how God had provided.  The lady saw our joy and told us that we could expect about the same thing every couple of weeks.  This continued for almost another 6 months.  Even now, I as I write this I am filled with awe.  None of us like sharing our brokenness and need before others, but that is the test part of a testimony.  To God alone be the glory.

Some specific prayer points regarding praying for daily bread:

1.    This is a prayer of asking – Give us.  Prayer always puts us in the position of receiver.  We recognize that God is our source and we are the recipients.  Every good and perfect gift comes from our Father above.  Asking helps us to remember that God is our Father and He ultimately is our provider.

2.    This is a rhythmic prayer- “today and daily”.  Everyone of Jesus listeners understood the backdrop of daily bread as the way that God had provided daily manna (bread from heaven) for the children of Israel when they were in the wilderness.  Even though God provided the bread on the ground, they still had to go and collect it daily and “work with it” to make daily bread.  The rhythm of thanking God for daily provision helps train our children to look to God as the source of everything in our lives and helps us remain good receivers.

3.    Bread is a symbol for more than just food.  Bread can represent all of the needs that we have for living. 

a.     Spiritually Jesus is referred to as the “bread of life”.  Our prayer for daily bread would include asking Jesus to meet every one of our spiritual needs.  We could be asking Him to make us hungry for more of Jesus and to be satisfied with nothing less than him. 

b.    Bread could also refer to money that we need to navigate all of the needs in our life.  One old term used in our culture for the main financial provider was “bread winner” of the family.  This meant that this individual primarily made the money necessary to make life work.  When we pray for daily bread we are asking God to help us be productive in our work and be remunerated accordingly.

c.     Bread can also be a symbol for needs in general.  We have needs for physical things such as good clothing, reliable transportation, a safe place to live.  Jesus addressed these issues by commanding us not to worry.  Our Father knows we have these needs and he will take care of us. 

4.    This prayer invites us to pour out our lists before him.  Some have felt like the best prayers or the more “spiritual prayers” are interceding for others.  But Jesus told us that we have a right to bring our request for our lives and our families daily before him.  Let Him sift through the prayers that are legitimate needs and those that are just wants.  But we have the privilege and the expectation from God to lay our request daily and regularly at His feet.

5.    It is prideful not to ask for daily bread.  Some have concluded that God has provided them with a good job that gives them an abundance of money, so they do not need to ask daily for his provision.  Sometimes asking God fills our hearts with gratitude for his provision in our lives.  It also may remind us of the needs of others.  The early church regularly saw those that had abundance giving some of their extra to feed those who were in need.

Father, we thank you that you see our every need.  What is man that you are mindful of him?  You know our every thought even before we think them.  Yet you have encouraged us to come to you daily and present our request.  We thank you for caring about what we eat.  Help us to eat healthy and not in excess.  Let our eating reflect honoring our body as your temple.  Thank you for providing good and stable work to meet the needs in our lives.  Remind us often that we are blessed to be a blessing.  That giving is more blessed than to receive.  Thank you, Father that you truly do care about us.  So, help us to come daily into your presence.  In Jesus name, Amen