The Lord's Prayer Part 12 : How to Pray for Your Needs

 

Photo by Suat Eman

"Give us this day our daily bread..."  - Matthew 6:11 (ESV)

    The priority of the Lord's Prayer is the Father's glory. We pray that his name will be treated as holy. We pray that his kingdom, which is Christ's rule in the hearts of men, would be made manifest. We pray that his will be followed here on earth as it is in heaven. Is God's interest really our number #1 priority? It's clear in the Lord's Prayer that the Christian life should be primarily about delighting in God and living a life that reflects his true glory.

    It is only in the 4th petition that we begin praying for ourselves. We are asking God to give, which implies that he owns something that we do not have. It's similar to a beggar asking for charity. Bread symbolizes everything that is necessary for our survival. It is said that man's basic need is food, shelter, and protection. Yes, God is the source of all these things (Psalm 104). Even more amazing is that God knows our need even before we ask him (Matthew 6:8). God provides for the needs of his children (Matthew 7:9-11) and he gives good gifts (James 1:17).

    The motivation behind praying for our needs is very important. Do we pray for our self-interests? Do we ask out of a desire to be richly blessed materially? This cannot be the motivation behind this prayer request because it would be inconsistent with the first three petitions. How can one pray for God’s kingdom when there is a strong desire in us to expand the kingdom of self? Jesus said,

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

    When Jesus Christ is the Lord of your life, he will meet your needs. That is the promise. It is true that many who do not follow Jesus Christ can meet their own needs and can be materially rich. This is the Creator’s common grace to his creation. However, the true Christian knows that attaining comfort in this world is not the ultimate goal. There is a much better life beyond this world and Jesus is the way through this life. For any profit gained in this world does not count for eternity.

“If we look like our lives are devoted to getting and maintaining things, we will look like the world, and that will not make Christ look great. He will look like a religious side-interest that may be useful for escaping hell in the end, but doesn't make much difference in what we live and love here. He will not look like an all-satisfying treasure. And that will not make others glad in God.”

- John Piper (Don’t Waste Your Life)

    We pray for our needs so that we can live for His glory. God is faithful and willing to provide everything we need so that we will have the physical, mental, and emotional strength to live our lives according to his purpose and plans.

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. -Psalm37:25 (ESV)

    Another thing to note is the immediate extent of the needs that we are to ask for. “Give us this day” really means this coming day. In other words, at night we pray for our needs for the coming day. During the day, we pray for our needs for the coming evening. This is patterned after the Old Testament account of manna (Exodus 16:13-30). Manna was the food that God provided for the people of Israel while they were in the desert. This food came from heaven, was to be collected in the morning, and was to be eaten on that same day. When it was stored, it would spoil (except during Sabbath). The Israelites were literally depending on God day-to-day for their food. Those with refrigerators and pantries stocked with food that could last for weeks may not be able to identify with this kind of living. Yet, this petition reminds all of us to be thankful to God everyday because he ultimately is the source of all provision.

    Do we live to eat or do we eat to live? Food is for fuel; not to be full.