Devotional Gems by Jolene
Created for Bible Study for Kids
God's Provision
Part 5 of 8
Luke 11:2-4
By J.D. Griffith
“Give us day by day our daily bread.”
German theologian Helmut Thielicke studied this prayer and concluded,
“the whole (scope) of life is captured in the rainbow of these
requests.” He is right. “Great things and small things; spiritual things
and material things; inward and outward things—there is nothing that is
not included in this prayer.”
God understands our needs and can truly meet them. Jesus said that we
are to pray to the Father about them. So after praying petitions for the
eternal, we are to pray for which is temporal (mortal). So when Jesus
said to pray about our daily bread, He wasn’t referring to just a trip
to the grocery store. We cannot serve his kingdom and do His will unless
we have strength to get through each day.
It’s also proper to ask God for a job in order to have money for food.
It’s also appropriate to appeal to God for clothes we need to work our
job. It follows that it’s okay to ask God for transportation to get to
our job. God knows each of our needs and is prepared to meet them all.
It is not too “earthly” to pray for common concerns such as food. When
translated into English, Biblical scholars had a bewildering time with
the word “daily”. After many years passed, an archaeologist dig
unearthed a papyrus fragment. Next to a grocery list was a word
scribbled that meant “enough for the coming day.”
Now we know Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread. This is the
only place where this word is found in the Bible.
Of course, “bread” refers to all things that we must have in order to
live.
When this prayer is said in the morning, this phrase represents the
needs for the hours ahead. When prayed in the night, it is a request for
the needs for the next day. The phrase “Give us day by day our daily
bread” is for asking God to supply what we need to honor Him and do His
will.
Take Home Nugget
In many modern cultures, refrigerators and freezers maintain food’s
high-quality for a long time. Now we can store up abundant food for
nourishment through many days. Many times we hardly acknowledge that the
meal we eat, or the clothes we wear have come from the Father’s hand in
provision of our needs.
Thank you father, for the food I eat.
Thank you Father, for the clothes I wear.
Providing for me is no easy feat.
Remind me for that which I need to care.
J.D Griffith
