Give us this day our daily bread

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

 Prayer is a relationship with God. God is always working and prayer gives access to this self-employed God with whom we are co-workers. Prayer is what God and we are doing together! The partnership is not of equals but of creator and created.

Prayer is an interactive relationship. God is Abba, his name is holy, his kingdom is here and coming and his will is getting done, slow as it seems. Praying for bread interacts with these truths. Without abiding in the Father and Son by the Holy Spirit prayer is like calling the energy company to sort out our electric bill. It’s only a transaction, not a relationship!

Daily bread is part of God’s agenda in establishing his kingdom. King Jesus hosts and celebrates with us at his banquet. He opens the door for constant enjoyment of the promised  milk and honey. He showers us with quails and manna in our wilderness. The banquet Master issues a clarion call: I AM here! I AM your king. Take shelter under my banner of love. Eat my bread 

Jesus celebrated daily by spreading his banner of love. Oh, the trouble he got in: accused falsely as a wine bibber and a glutton because of the prodigals, the Marys and Zacchaeuses whose company he enjoyed at these love feasts. He embraced the prayer he taught: Give us today our bread for today. Assured of daily bread, wormy worry cocoons into a hopeful butterfly.

Bread for 4 and 5 thousands. Bread crumbs for birds. The Lord’s Supper bread and wine. Bread, wine and banquet showing the king is reigning. And his banner over us is love (Song of Songs 2:4). Heaven has come to earth and with it we kiss scarcity goodbye. Hello, generosity!

Asking for daily bread is not a superfluous prayer because we have money and Walmart is open 24/7. Surely no one thinks Jesus’ teaching on prayer is that naïve or worse, shallow!

Asking for daily bread is remembering that God’s kingdom is at hand.

Asking for daily bread is enjoying fellowship and a dining experience with the king daily.

Asking for daily bread is relishing the bounty without mutiny or greed as history tells in the stories of the Achans (Joshua 7), the tax collectors, and the Bernie Madoffs who made off with millions of other people’s money. Greed is idolatry (according to Colossians 3:5. Bread for today and on the 6th day bread for today and the morrow. Greed spoils.

Asking for daily bread is taking our place in God’s kingdom and choosing sides. Our king will vanquish all and put on an eternal banquet of bread for our soul’s feasting on joy, peace and righteousness in the Lord (Romans 14:17, Isaiah 25:6-10).

Asking for bread teaches us to ask for specific desires of our hearts to be fulfilled in appropriate ways and means. Ask away! No small ask. No big ask. God is sufficient. His bread and banquet are love. Feast on, church!