Mathew 6: 9-13
This week we will look at the Lord’s Prayer as it applies to our material and financial needs. Give us this day our daily bread: There are seasons in life when most of us will have a lot to pray about when it comes to material and financial needs. This part of the Lord’s Prayer offers comfort and encouragement in times like a job loss, underemployment, a struggling business, mounting medical expenses, the financial hit because of a divorce, and the needs of our children.
Give us this day our daily bread reveals that not only is it okay to pray for financial and material needs – it is encouraged! The Lord’s Prayer is simple and straightforward. In this prayer we are praying for our necessities, not our wants. Wealth or riches is not something to pray for, but something to thankfully receive if given. The Scripture does not teach us to pray for wants or riches. But it does encourage us to pray for our needs.
In my view, in our culture today in America, daily bread means more than just basic food, clothing, and shelter. Although there are those who struggle with getting basic necessities, in these cases we need to help them in any way we can. But for most of us, asking God for His help when it comes to our business or career or to land a better job so we can pay for our kid’s college, live in a decent home, or have a better work life balance, in my view, is actually praying for necessities and not riches. And when we pray for our needs and receive more than we need, we should thank God for our prosperity and bless others with our extra resources.
Joseph C. Hutchison