Dependence on God: The Meaning of Daily Bread

 

Summary

In today's reflection on the Lord's Prayer, we delve into the fourth petition: "Give us this day our daily bread." This prayer is a profound acknowledgment of our dependence on God for our daily sustenance. It serves as a reminder that everything we have is a gift from God, and it challenges our natural inclination towards self-sufficiency. By asking God to "give," we recognize that we are not self-made and that all good things come from His gracious hand.

The prayer also encourages us to grow in gratitude. Bread, as mentioned in the Bible, symbolizes the basic necessities of life. When we pray for our daily bread, we are asking God for all that we need to live a life that honors Him. This includes food, health, shelter, and more. It's important to note that God provides what we need, not necessarily what we want. The story of the Israelites in the desert, who complained about the manna God provided, serves as a warning against ingratitude and dissatisfaction with God's provisions.

Furthermore, this prayer deepens our compassion. The use of "us" and "our" in the prayer reminds us to consider the needs of others and to intercede for them. It prompts us to be mindful of those who are less fortunate and to be the means through which God provides for others.

Lastly, the prayer affirms God's faithfulness. By asking for our daily bread, we are reminded of God's consistent provision throughout history. This assurance of God's faithfulness is a powerful antidote to anxiety, especially in uncertain times. Jesus Himself demonstrated this trust in God's provision when He gave thanks for the loaves and fishes, and when He broke bread with His disciples, symbolizing His body given for us.

Key Takeaways:

- Acknowledging Dependence: Praying for daily bread is a humble acknowledgment of our dependence on God. It challenges our natural desire for independence and reminds us that every good gift comes from His hand. This prayer teaches us that we are not self-made and that God owes us nothing; everything we have is a gift. [03:47]

- Growing in Gratitude: The prayer for daily bread encourages us to be grateful for what we have rather than focusing on what we lack. The story of the Israelites' dissatisfaction with manna serves as a warning against ingratitude. We are reminded to thank God for His provisions and to avoid the dangers of craving more than what He has given. [19:41]

- Deepening Compassion: The use of "us" and "our" in the Lord's Prayer calls us to consider the needs of others. It encourages us to intercede for those who are hungry and to be mindful of how we can help meet the needs of others. This prayer fosters a sense of community and shared responsibility. [30:13]

- Affirming God's Faithfulness: By praying for daily bread, we are reminded of God's track record of faithfulness. This assurance helps us combat anxiety, knowing that God has consistently provided for His people throughout history. Trusting in God's provision allows us to focus on seeking His kingdom first. [32:03]

- Jesus as the Bread of Life: Jesus exemplified trust in God's provision and taught us to do the same. He is the bread of life, sustaining our souls just as bread sustains our bodies. By feeding on Him, we find nourishment for eternal life, reinforcing our dependence on God for both physical and spiritual sustenance. [37:53]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to the Lord's Prayer
- [00:37] - The Six Petitions
- [01:35] - Using the Lord's Prayer as a Framework
- [02:33] - Our Three Needs
- [03:18] - Acknowledging Dependence
- [06:38] - Lessons from the Israelites
- [09:15] - The Story of Job
- [11:54] - The Rich Man's Folly
- [13:28] - Dependence on God for Food
- [17:32] - Growing in Gratitude
- [19:41] - The Danger of Ingratitude
- [23:06] - Don't Despise the Manna
- [30:13] - Deepening Compassion
- [32:03] - Affirming God's Faithfulness
- [37:53] - Jesus as the Bread of Life

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Lord's Prayer - "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"

Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 6:11 - "Give us this day our daily bread."
2. Exodus 16:4 - "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day.'"
3. Job 1:21 - "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the word "give" in the phrase "Give us this day our daily bread" signify about our relationship with God? [03:47]

2. How did God provide for the Israelites in the desert, and what was their reaction to His provision? [06:38]

3. What examples from the sermon illustrate the idea that everything we have is a gift from God? [04:23]

4. How does the story of Job illustrate our dependence on God for what we have? [10:19]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the prayer for daily bread challenge our natural inclination towards self-sufficiency and independence? [04:09]

2. In what ways does the story of the Israelites' dissatisfaction with manna serve as a warning against ingratitude? [19:41]

3. How does the use of "us" and "our" in the Lord's Prayer encourage us to think about the needs of others? [30:13]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between acknowledging God's faithfulness and overcoming anxiety? [34:09]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt self-sufficient. How can you practice acknowledging your dependence on God in your daily life? [04:09]

2. Consider the things you often take for granted. How can you cultivate a habit of gratitude for God's provisions, even when they don't meet your desires? [19:41]

3. Identify someone in your community who is in need. How can you be a means through which God provides for them this week? [31:44]

4. When faced with anxiety about the future, how can you remind yourself of God's faithfulness in your past experiences? [34:09]

5. How can you incorporate the practice of saying grace or another form of gratitude into your daily routine to remind yourself of God's provision? [17:13]

6. Think about a specific area in your life where you struggle with dissatisfaction. What steps can you take to focus on what God has given rather than what He has withheld? [23:30]

7. How can you make the prayer "Give us this day our daily bread" a meaningful part of your spiritual practice, focusing on both your needs and the needs of others? [30:13]

Devotional

Day 1: Dependence on Divine Provision
Recognizing our dependence on God for daily sustenance is a humbling acknowledgment that challenges our natural desire for independence. By praying for our daily bread, we admit that we are not self-made and that every good gift comes from God's gracious hand. This prayer teaches us that God owes us nothing, and everything we have is a gift. It is a reminder to trust in God's provision and to let go of the illusion of self-sufficiency. [03:47]

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle with self-sufficiency, and how can you practice relying on God's provision today?


Day 2: Cultivating a Heart of Gratitude
The prayer for daily bread encourages us to be grateful for what we have rather than focusing on what we lack. The story of the Israelites' dissatisfaction with manna serves as a warning against ingratitude. We are reminded to thank God for His provisions and to avoid the dangers of craving more than what He has given. Gratitude shifts our perspective from scarcity to abundance, helping us appreciate God's daily blessings. [19:41]

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6, ESV)

Reflection: What is one thing you often take for granted that you can thank God for today?


Day 3: Compassionate Intercession for Others
The use of "us" and "our" in the Lord's Prayer calls us to consider the needs of others. It encourages us to intercede for those who are hungry and to be mindful of how we can help meet the needs of others. This prayer fosters a sense of community and shared responsibility, prompting us to be the means through which God provides for others. [30:13]

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your community is in need, and how can you be a tangible expression of God's provision for them today?


Day 4: Trusting in God's Faithfulness
By praying for daily bread, we are reminded of God's track record of faithfulness. This assurance helps us combat anxiety, knowing that God has consistently provided for His people throughout history. Trusting in God's provision allows us to focus on seeking His kingdom first, confident that He will meet our needs. [32:03]

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: What past experiences of God's faithfulness can you recall to strengthen your trust in His provision today?


Day 5: Jesus, the Bread of Life
Jesus exemplified trust in God's provision and taught us to do the same. He is the bread of life, sustaining our souls just as bread sustains our bodies. By feeding on Him, we find nourishment for eternal life, reinforcing our dependence on God for both physical and spiritual sustenance. [37:53]

"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'" (John 6:35, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate the practice of feeding on Jesus, the Bread of Life, into your daily spiritual routine?

Quotes



Now when we ask God to give us our bread, we are very clearly acknowledging our dependence upon Him, and that's against our nature because by nature what we want to do is declare our independence. But when we've come to know God as our loving heavenly Father, we gladly affirm that every good gift that we enjoy comes from our loving Father and comes down from His gracious hand. [00:03:58]

What do you have that you did not receive? It all comes from the good and the gracious hand of our loving God. And then when we recognize when we ask that God will give us our daily bread, we're also recognizing that God doesn't owe us anything. [00:04:38]

We depend on God not only to provide what we need but also to keep what we have. And then Jesus tells us another story in the New Testament, a story about a rich man who lost everything. God had blessed this man with a great harvest. In fact, it was so great that he didn't have room to store the grain that was harvested. [00:11:45]

Bread is used in the Bible as a general term for the basic necessities of life. So, for example, in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 19, God says to Adam, "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread," and that very simply means, Adam, you are going to have to work for your living. [00:17:52]

God gives us what we need. He does not give to us all that we want, and Jesus invites us to ask for what we need. Now, Numbers in chapter 11 tells us the story of how God's people complained about the food that He provided for them. God gave them manna, but they were not satisfied with what God had given. [00:19:20]

Instead of being thankful for what God gave them, the manna, instead of being grateful for what they did have, they got angry, they got frustrated because of what they didn't have. And the great difference, you see, between the rabble and the redeemed is that the rabble blame God for everything and thank Him for nothing, whereas the redeemed thank God for everything and blame Him for nothing. [00:20:42]

Don't despise the manna. The manna may not be all that we want, but the manna is a gift from God. And when God's people despise the manna, the anger of God burned hotly against them. When you're tired of working from home, as we all get tired of working from home, thank God that you have a home to work from. [00:23:35]

This is where we intercede for the practical needs of others. This is where we pray for a hungry world. This is where we ask God to bring to our minds the needs of other people who we may be able to help. And if God has given to you what you need for today, perhaps in the very praying of this prayer, He will prompt you to be the means by which God provides for someone else. [00:30:23]

What a record of faithfulness God has. Think about it. He has been providing for billions of people in every continent of the world. He has been doing it on a daily basis for thousands and thousands of years. Someone has said when you come and ask God for a new blessing, make sure you bring Him the receipt for the last one. [00:32:41]

Remember what Jesus says in this regard. Therefore, He says, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat. Don't worry about that or what you shall drink or about your body, what you will put on. But so Jesus says this, and we say, well, why? Why shouldn't we worry? [00:34:18]

Jesus gave thanks to the Father for the bread He provided, and what the Father provided was sufficient for all. And then on the night that He was betrayed, our Lord Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples, and Matthew tells us as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, He broke it and gave it to His disciples and said, take, eat, this is my body. [00:37:01]

See, God gives us the bread that sustains our bodies, and God has given us the bread that feeds our souls. Jesus is the bread of life, and He said whoever feeds on Me will live because of Me. In other words, Jesus will do for your soul what bread does for your body. He will sustain you, and whoever feeds on this bread will live forever. [00:37:53]

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Transcript
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