Weekly Devotional

“Give us this day our Daily Bread” Matthew 6:11

This personal request is the first one in the “Our Father” which is man-centered.  When we as the children of God ask and make requests, He is most eager to hear and answer us, yet the temptation to distort or alter the petition is very real.  For example, it is easy to change the pronoun from us to me, to move from the plural to the singular, but such a switch can be dangerous, because the plural pronoun helps to keep the selfishness out of the prayer. 

A Jewish saying that exposes such self-centeredness is “A man should always join himself with the community in his prayers.”  William Barclay explains even further, “It is characteristic of our age that one class of the community does not care what happens to another class so long as its needs are met.  But this is the epitome of selfishness.”  The rich man received divine condemnation when he treated Lazarus, the beggar, with a miserly attitude. Similarly when we rejoice that we have good paying jobs but fail to empathize with those who have been laid off or “brag” about the size of our church yet pay no attention to those congregations who are dwindling numerically, we are guilty of thinking individually instead of corporately.   

In the days of the early church the Jerusalem congregation suffered much persecution, and it was admirable that other churches stepped forward and offered their support with offerings. Their practice should remind us of the truthfulness of the old hymn that says, “We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear, and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.”  In fact those who have received much are expected to respond by giving much.  “Freely you have received, freely give”. (Matthew 10:8) Here at Pathway I hope we will always be sensitive to the plight of the less fortunate and learn to pray in a selfless manner instead of a selfish one.

Another perversion of this request involves a switching of the nouns.  Daily bread becomes daily dessert.  This is a movement from the basic necessities of life to the excessive luxuries of life.  In recent months here in our beloved country we have seen endless examples of rampant greed and covetousness where “Wantology” has become a lifestyle in which  people spend much more than they earn.  The results include excessive indebtedness, outlandish credit card bills, and shameful bankruptcies.  Giant companies, once known for their financial stability, have disintegrated before our very eyes.

All of us as Christ-followers should remember that Philippians 4:19 states the biblical perspective quite clearly.  “My God will meet all your needs (not wants) according to his riches in Christ Jesus.”  Such a promise reminds us that our desires dare not run amuck.  When we fail to exercise self-control and go on endless shopping sprees in order to satisfy our excessive appetites for unnecessary “stuff”, we are presuming upon God’s generosity.  We are also guilty of switching the nouns from needs to wants. 

A few years ago two famous women died.  Their worlds reflected opposite lifestyles and viewpoints.  Princess Diana inhabited a world of luxurious want and wealth, but Mother Theresa was known for her commitment to meeting the basic needs of the very, very needy.  Which one knew the greatest contentment in life?  Which one prayed this request most accurately?