Adventures in Student Ministry

Over the last two weeks, we’ve been talking about the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6. Specifically, we’ve covered the following

“Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name,” which highlights our the way we see God as both our loving father and our Holy King. Whereas we can come to him with the comfort of knowing he’s a good father, we should also approach him with the understanding that he is, in fact, Holy and should be honored and respected as such.

“Your Kingdom Come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” This is where we pray for God’s authority to take root in our lives and the world around us, as the people of God humbly submit to His will.

Today, we are going into the following line:

“Give us this day our daily bread,”

This line seems simple enough; understanding what life was like back then makes it a bit more impactful. 

1. We need to remember that this original audience generally survived day to day. Quite literally, people were paid each day that they worked, meaning they didn’t have a steady income that they could budget for. In this setting, not working on a specific day meant you didn’t get paid for that day, which means you may not be able to afford food for you and your family on that day. 
   
2. The vocabulary also caused the original hearers to think back to the stories of the Jews in the wilderness, where God literally provided them with exactly what they needed for the day. This provision made it possible for the Jews to continue to move forward in the wilderness.

Now we aren’t just asking God for bread, nor are we asking Him for things we just want. It’s about asking for the basic provisions that we actually need. Provision simply means the resources God gives us to meet our needs. Theologian Kenneth L. Barker explains that “We must pray for our needs, not our greeds.” 

This verse is also better translated as “Give us today our bread for the coming day.” 

ASK: How does having tomorrow’s provision help us? Before you answer, think back to what God’s provision for the Israelites in the wilderness did for them.

By asking God to provide tomorrow’s provision today, it frees the disciples’ minds of the stress and anxiety of worrying about the things we really need to live, like food, clothes, and a safe place. This freedom allows them to focus on what God has for them. It enables them to focus more on fulfilling the will of God that they have just prayed for. 

Another thing we need to look at is the idea of God “giving” us these things. For the people Jesus was originally talking to, this was not a matter of looking for a handout so that they could do nothing. For the original hearers, God’s provision of work so that they could buy bread was also God’s blessing. Keep in mind that the Israelites still had to go out and gather the manna needed and work the manna into the substance they needed.  So, when we pray asking God for provision, we need to keep in mind that we aren’t asking for a way out of work, but we are gratefully asking for whatever provision He gives us.

As we transition into our prayer time, here’s how you can put this part of the Lord’s prayer into action:

1. Thank God – Think of at least three things God has already provided for you (meals, a safe home, a friend, or even something small but important) take a moment and thank Him for those.
   
2. Ask God – Think of one real need you have right now. Maybe it’s help with school, peace in a friendship, strength to deal with stress, or courage in a situation. Ask God to meet that need. 
   
3. Trust God – End by telling God you trust Him to take care of you today and tomorrow. This helps us not worry, but instead focus on what He wants us to do.