What is your favorite bread?
Have you ever made that bread yourself?
Have you ever grown the ingredients needed to make that bread for yourself?
If you’re not into bread for some reason, what do you use instead?
What are the supplies you need for your “breadmaking”?
Could “supplies for breadmaking” refer to things other than food provisions?
Clothing? Shelter? What else?
What does this have to do with Matthew 6:11?
ESV Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread,
This verse exists within the context of a sample prayer being taught by Jesus to his followers, or disciples.
The first verses of the sample prayer focused on acknowledging our creator resides in heaven, should be reverenced, and that our creator’s will is done in heaven. We also discover we are to desire our creator’s will to also be done upon earth. (Matthew 6:9-10).
Now in verse 11 the sample prayer turns attention to physical needs.
The verse specifically mentions bread.
Bread is a usually baked and leavened food made of a mixture whose basic constituent is flour or meal.
Food, or bread, is a basic daily need.
Imagine if you had no access to the supplies for breadmaking or other food options.
Or maybe you or someone you know doesn’t need to imagine but is lacking the needed supplies for this basic daily need.
Given that in Jesus’ day modern food storage practices were not available it makes perfect sense that the disciples would be instructed to pray that God would provide for their daily bread or food supplies.
Reflection questions
- What “supplies for breadmaking” are you currently lacking in your daily life?
- How does asking God to supply basic needs communicate our understanding of who He is?
- Verse nine opens with the word “our” indicating that this sample prayer is a community prayer. How does praying for our daily bread impact how you think about your fellow humans across the globe?
- If you have been granted the answer to this prayer abundantly, is there a way you could introduce others to our heavenly Father so that they may come to rely on Him for their provision as well?
- What are your basic needs?
- Is God meeting them?
- Have you asked Him to meet your basic needs?
- Are you thankful for what He has provided?
Now consider these verses:
ESV Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Our heavenly Father knows our basic needs.
Our heavenly Father desires to provide us with our basic needs.
As we seek first our heavenly Father’s kingdom, desire His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, and humbly acknowledge that we are dependent on Him to supply our basic needs, He has promised we will receive them.
- When have you experienced an abundance of “supplies for breadmaking”?
- How did you honor the Lord with that abundance?
- How did you help others with that abundance?
My prayer for us today based on Proverbs 30:8 and Matthew 6:9-11:
Remove far from us falsehood and lying; give us neither poverty nor riches; feed us with the food that is needful for us as we daily glorify You, our heavenly Father. May we understand Your will for us and acknowledge our need of You.
Leave a comment on the blog to generate some group discussion.
Email me at barbaralynn@barbaralynnseibel.com if you have a private question.
I’d love to hear from you!
We will continue with Matthew 6:12 next time.
Blessings,
Barbara Lynn