Matthew 6:11, “Give us today our daily bread.”

The third exercise in the Lord’s Prayer workout is to pray for one’s needs to be met in the context of community.  After a believer has started their prayer by praising and “hallowing the name of God” and seeking first “His kingdom to come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” the door is now open for one’s needs to be properly lifted up to God.

However, notice the plural form of this prayer, “give us today our daily bread.” The words “us and our” are used in contrast to “give me today my daily bread.”  The words “me and my” are used to signify one’s own needs, however, “us and our” are used to represent the needs in one’s community.  Therefore, Jesus was teaching them that when the disciple prays he or she should pray for everyone’s needs to be met, not just their own.

God said in ancient times to Abraham that He wanted to “bless him to be a blessing” and that “all nations would be blessed through him,” Genesis 12:13.  As a result, it has always been God’s divine will to use His people to be a blessing to others upon the earth.  In Acts 2:44-45 Luke records the following description of the first disciple’s generosity and charity, “44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.”  Thus, when God’s people pray for their own needs they should always do so in the context of community for this is the very purpose why God blesses His people in such abundance.

In your prayer times you should always be confident that God cares for your every need, however, you should never look to your needs alone but also to others.  Remember to see all the gifts and blessings that God gives “to you” are to go “through you” to the community in need “around you!”

Reflection

Do you daily pray for other’s daily needs to be met or just your own?

Action

  1. Examine your heart and repent of any selfishness.
  2. Begin to pray every day for other’s needs to be met along with your own.
  3. As God meets your daily needs be ready to share with others, for this is how God answers your prayers to help others.