Drawing Nigh to God....series

Drawing Nigh to God

by

Minnie E. Dauphinee

 

After This Manner Pray..."Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"

 

The arrangement of the prayer is taught by Jesus is not without a purpose. The first three petitions have to do with the name and kingdom and will of God. Then three petitions concern our own needs. Finally three aspects pertaining to our heavenly Father are mentioned- the kingdom, the power and the glory. When we come to God as our loving Father, with the desire that His name shall be honored; when we do all in our power to hasten His coming, delight to do His will, then with confidence we may ask Him to supply our own needs.

 

First we ask for bread, not for a great supply, but daily bread. Jesus teaches us to depend upon our heavenly Father's sustaining power every day, and not to be over- anxious about the future. When we are brought into strait places, we are to rely upon God's promises. He who sent ravens to feed Elijah, and manna from heaven for the Israelites, will not forget us.

 

We ask for bread- the necessities of life - not luxuries. A social worker told of many couple who asked her counsel in making out a family budget. Some few desired advice on how to live on a salary of a thousand dollars a month. These were not satisfied with the necessities; they demanded the luxuries of life.

 

The prayer for daily bread includes not only food to sustain the body but food for the hungry heart- spiritual bread to nourish the soul. We remember the words of Jesus: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4)

 

To sustain our physical life it is not enough merely to have bread upon the table. If we do not eat of it we will soon die. Neither is it sufficient to own a copy of God's Word in order to maintain our spiritual life. "We are to pray day by day that as we read His Word, God will send His Spirit to reveal to us the truth that will strengthen our souls for the day's need."

 

Give us this day our daily bread." Jesus teaches us not to ask for ourselves along. Both the temporal and the spiritual food we receive we are to share with others. Those who love God love their fellow men. Whether we share with others the gifts we receive from God is a sure test of the sincerity of our prayers.

 

Let us pause to thank our heavenly Father for the wonderful provision He has made to supply our physical and spiritual needs.