When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we say “give this day our daily bread” (italics mine). How often in America do we ask God to provide our daily meals and mean it? Richard Roberts, a good friend of mine, pointed out this thought-provoking question to me. Even now, when I pray the Lord’s Prayer, I never find myself compelled to depend on God for my next meal. It makes me feel rather ashamed – especially when people in less fortunate countries reflexively beg God every day for a meal.
The reason we can only mouth this prayer is because we are so secure in our next meal. As you read this, there is likely more than several days’ worth of food stocked in your house. And as I write this, there are service members in the chow hall here preparing our next meal. But I had a small epiphany recently that enabled me to pray for my daily bread renewed fervor.
In this environment (Baghdad, Iraq) we get tired quickly. Hours are long, tempers are short, and stress is abundant. I often find myself struggling to maintain composure. Sometimes hourly I need to remind myself to take deep breaths. (This happens frequently to us even when we’re not in war environments. We all have trials.) I need something more than my own grit and mettle to get me to sunset.
Anyway, I was in the chapel a while back and we were singing the song Breathe by Michael W. Smith. There is a line in that song that says “This is my daily bread, your very Word, living in me.” After I left the chapel I fell to my knees and thanked God for showing me a new meaning to this part of the Lord’s Prayer. The Words of God are something I need to ask for everyday – we were meant to feed on them. This is something we Americans do starve for – especially if we aren’t in the habit of seeking it or asking for it. I find if I don’t get this kind of Bread, my state of mind deteriorates.
So now, I pray for daily bread every day with new meaning “God please, just for today, give me your Words, my bread, so I can get through this day.”
2 comments:
Thats powerful bro! This last semester at ACU has broght me to examine how much I rely on God after my Old Testament class. We studied about King Asa in Chronicles when he is attacked by a million men from Ethiopia and prays to God, "we rely on you" and God delivers them. Then, North Israel attacks him and he calls on the king of Syria for help instead of God. It made me think of how many times God has proven himself to me and how I continue to try and face hardships on my own or with only the help of others. I think it is a major step in our faith to rely on God for all of our needs and situations, even for our daily bread.
Very well said.
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