Daily Bread

Give us this day our daily bread.

These are the famous words of the Lord’s Prayer, which Jesus modeled for us to pray. Of course, the point is not the repetition of the words, but the engagement of the heart. The Prayer offers us tracks to run upon in our prayers to God, areas of focus: his glory, the advancement of his kingdom, provision, forgiveness of sin, and deliverance from temptation.

The Lord calls us to pray for our earthly sustenance, symbolized here by bread, the universal biblical symbol for food. And yet we know that earthly food isn’t the only provision we need, for “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Therefore, within this prayer we may also find room to pray for our daily spiritual bread.

What is the spiritual bread of the Christian? It is the gospel. That same food that saves us sanctifies us. Tim Keller observes, “The gospel of free, gracious justification and adoption is not just the way we enter the kingdom; it is also the way we grow into the likeness of Christ.” Believer, what you need most today is to eat upon the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection for you. Rest in the finished work of your Savior and be fed. “I am the bread of life,” says Jesus. This is the Bread God loves to give most.