Give Us This Day

(#1010, Imperial, 1963)

Read Matthew 6:9-13.

"What profit should we have if we pray unto Him?"  This was Job's question and one often heard.  Why pray when God is all-knowing and knows our needs before we ask?

There can be no question as to the profitableness of prayer. Prayer is one of God's Laws (we have not because we ask not).  Pray is the key to personal holiness, fellowship with God, power, and the opening of God's promises to believers.

Today we find prayer being brought to bear on our daily needs.  This may seem out of place after the first 3 requests.  And yet we must learn: prayer is not only adoration but asking.

Prayer is absolute dependence on God.

ƒ      We are to ask (Mt. 7:11).  We have not because we ask not (James 4:2).  We are to let our requests be made known to God (Phil. 4:6-7).

ƒ      "Give us."  God is the giver of every good and perfect gift.  He has given to us all things (2 Peter 1:3).

Prayer is dependence on God for the necessities of life.

w    Bread may be both material and spiritual.

w    This may be a prayer for remunerative labor (Gen. 3:19; 1 Thess. 4:11-12; 3:10).

Prayer is dependence on God for today's needs.

"This day" means we pray for daily needs, not tomorrow's bread.  The Israelites received just enough manna for the day.  If they gathered tomorrow's it spoiled.  So we are to "take no thought for tomorrow" (Mt. 6:34).  God feeds the birds, the beast of the field, He will care for us.

Prayer is dependence on God to supply what is best.

Sometimes God may send the bread of adversity.  The Israelites complained about the manna and thought they needed something different.  God gave them their request on one occasion and then sent them leanness of soul (Psa. 106:15).

 

To request of God our daily bread is high worship, for in so doing we show our daily and absolute trust in Him!