Give us this day our daily bread

   It startles me a bit to realize that we are to make any demand of God.  Likely only a bit because the Our Father is so common to us and we say it so frequently.  It should put us in an awe that nearly prevents us from making such demands of God if it was not for Jesus, the Eternal Son of God, teaching us to demand from Our Father that which a father rightly has a responsibility towards His children, us.

   “Who are we to demand anything from God?”  We are His children!  We did not make it that way.  Jesus revealed this to us.  We do not make ourselves children of God, though we definitely can fully participate in this relationship or deny it, either partially or fully.  To participate in Our Heavenly Father’s responsibility towards us is to rely upon Our Heavenly Father to fulfill His responsibility.  Trying to take care of it ourselves without Our Heavenly Father is a way to deny His Fatherhood, again either partially or fully.

   So, what is this responsibility of Our Heavenly Father?  Well, bread is food, which we need to survive.  And notice how we are not asking for a week, a month, or a year’s worth of food.  We are asking for today’s portion.  We are to rely on Our Heavenly Father for that which we need to survive each and every day as that day becomes today.  We are not like the Prodigal Son asking The Father for our inheritance immediately.  We are demanding that Our Father give us what we need for today.

   After teaching His disciples the Our Father, Jesus went on to say, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” [Matthew 6:32-34]

   Jesus, as the Eternal Son of God, You taught us to demand from Our Father that which is rightly ours.  Help us to fully participate in Our Father’s responsibility to provide for us in our complete reliance upon Him as You always have done… “on earth as it is in Heaven”.  Amen.