Praying “Our Daily Bread…”

The trust we build in God’s provision isn’t meant for our comfort alone. It’s meant to spill over into the lives of those around us, because when Jesus teaches us to pray for daily bread, he doesn’t say my bread. He says our.

God’s provision isn’t limited to what we receive. It includes what we give, and that comes through in the plural.

Our Father. Our daily bread.

Forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

The communal language is constant.

In the Bible, the word you is often plural, but in English, that rarely comes through. Not everyone on the hillside listening to Jesus was poor. Many of them had means: Herodians, merchants, soldiers, and well-to-do business owners.

So when Jesus taught them to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” it wasn’t just a comfort to the hungry; it was a challenge to the full. Sure, there may be bread on my plate, but if my sister’s plate is empty, has our prayer truly been answered? Too often, we ask God to act while sitting on our hands, wondering, When are you going to show up and do something? I wonder how often the God of the universe thinks, Funny…I was about to ask you the same.

To pray the Lord’s Prayer with integrity is to volunteer for the answer. It’s to say amen—and then let our hands, our wallet, our schedule, our choices, and our legs become the prayer. When we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we aren’t just asking for provision. We’re volunteering to help distribute it.

None of us can see the future. But we can face it with confidence—not because we’ve figured it out, but because we remember who has been with us all along. The God who met you before will meet you again. He’ll be your bread. He’ll be your peace.

And as you receive what you need today, however small, don’t forget: If heaven is breaking in through you, you might be someone else’s provision. So take the next faithful step. Trust the God of yesterday. Walk with him today. And become part of his answer for tomorrow.

Reflection Question: When you pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” how might God be inviting you not only to trust him for your own needs but also to become part of his provision for someone else?