“Give us this day our daily bread”
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6, 7)
What are you worried about today? Are there things that you are anxious about? The Lord’s prayer is a model for “daily” prayer. You don’t pray for your daily bread weekly…monthly…or every once in a while. We need our Father’s presence every day to help us with our daily stresses and challenges.
We are not created for anxiety. This comes as a result of a lack of trust in God’s ability to take care of us on a daily basis. We were created to have peace with God. Unfortunately, most of us go to God in times of crisis but we feel that we can handle the day to day living on our own. The discipline of prayer, however, is to be practiced regularly…daily.
The Scripture challenges us to take all of our concerns to God. It also says that if we do that we will experience a peace that surpasses all understanding. Peter said,
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6, 7)
If we do not take our concerns to God regularly our stress can have a bad effect on us spiritually, emotionally and physically. This can paralize us which can cause us to be ineffective in God’s Kingdom work. It is important to pray daily!
Give us this day our daily bread
But what about tomorrow? The future? We tend to worry a lot about the things that haven’t happened yet or the things that might happen. In the sermon on the mount Jesus told His disciples,
“But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33, 34)
So, it only makes sense that the Lord’s prayer is a “daily” model for prayer. A prayer in the present for the present. Today, pray for today! And…trust your heavenly Father for tomorrow.