12th. November. 2021. Daily Devotion.

Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. Proverbs 28:19

Give us today our daily bread. Matthew 6:11

Here are some thoughts on this text from a commentary:

First, the scope of our petition: We do not pray to become rich; but we do not hesitate to pray for the necessities or basic comforts of life.

Second, the petition is plural: “give us bread today”. It is, in part, an intercessory prayer. We do not pray, “feed me, and good luck to the rest of you guys.” Nor does “us” include only the speakers when a group is praying. It is, in effect, a prayer for mankind.

Third, we pray for food only for one day. We will see much more on this at the end of Chapter 6, where Christ delivers a long, beautiful, and important message about living in the present.

In fact — and most people are quite taken aback to learn this — the end of Chapter 6 is the primary reason we use the expression “daily bread.” The word used by Matthew (and Luke) and translated as “daily” was a Greek word epiousios, the meaning of which is total mystery. The Lord’s Prayer is the only known occurrence of the word. Nobody actually knows what Jesus said!

Scholars have searched high and low and cannot find the word used anywhere else in ancient Greek. The correct translation is, therefore, “Give us this day our _________ bread” — which means almost exactly the same thing, if you think about it. But it is not as pleasing to the ear, so the King James coalition added “daily”, which conforms to the lesson at the end of the chapter (Matthew 6:25-34).

Finally, one can certainly add a lot of meaning by meditating on the many symbolic uses of bread in the Bible. Christ said, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35) At the last supper, Christ broke the bread and said, “This is my body.” (Luke 22:19) We can thus pray this phrase for salvation, for Spirit, for our share of Christ’s sacrifice, and more.

For our Daily Bread

Break thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
As thou didst break the loaves beside the sea,
Beyond the sacred page I seek thee, O Lord,
My spirit pants for thee, O Living Word.

Thou art the bread of life, O Lord, to me,
Thy Holy Word the truth that saveth me;
Give me to eat and live with Thee above;
Teach me to love Thy truth, for Thou art love. Amen. ~ Mary Lathbury.

Prayer of Thanks

Thank you, Source of all abundance, for surrounding me with good things. But help me to remember that nothing of earthly value owns timeless truth. Let your immeasurable blessings transform how I perceive material benefits. Teach me to appreciate unchanging treasures: the wealth of your compassion, the grandeur of your wisdom, and the richness of reconciliation. Lighten my selfishness with simple faith. Help me to reveal your love more joyously. And strengthen me in grace, oh God, always to give the best that serves you most in humble gratitude. Amen.

To See Christ

Oh holy Christ, teach me to recognize your face in the people you put into my life today. Amen.

Loving God, as the world continues to face the challenge of disease, we give thanks for all who bring healing and health to others; for those who work in hospitals, GP practices, hospices and care homes; for those who volunteer giving time, love and care; for delivery drivers, refuse collectors, supermarket staff; for teachers, social workers and all who care for others. We give thanks for scientists developing treatments and vaccines; for those willing to be used in trials so that others can be well and free; for experts in public health and for all those on the frontline of infection control. In the name of Christ, the healer. Amen. ~ Michaela Young