Bless Our Daily Provision of Bread of Lifem

This is a humble and essential prayer, straight from the heart of the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples. It is a request for both physical sustenance and spiritual trust, acknowledging God as our ultimate provider.

Here is a poem and a meditation on asking for our daily bread.

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Provision for My Daily Bread

I do not ask for vast estates, For barns that overflow the gates. I do not ask for years in store, But just for today,and nothing more.

“Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)

This is the prayer of humble trust, To place in God my hope and must. It is the cry of those who know, That from His hand all blessings flow.

It is the prayer that He did teach, Within a most prophetic speech. It asks for needs,both plain and true, And for the faith to see us through.

The bread is grain, the food, the meal, The strength to work,the power to heal. The rent,the clothes, the needed thing, The joy that simple provisions bring. “If you... know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”(Matthew 7:11)

But oh, the bread is so much more, It’s what the spirit’s longing for. The true bread that came down from heaven, The sinless life,freely given. “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry.”(John 6:35)

So in this prayer, two needs are met: The physical,without a fret, The spiritual,the soul’s deep cry, For Christ Himself,who is ever nigh.

Provision for my daily bread— Lord,still my anxious heart and head. Help me to trust,day by day, That You will guide and You will pay For all I need to serve You here, And vanquish every doubt and fear.

Help me to work, and pray, and plead, And plant the faithful,mustard seed. And then to rest,in peace, well-fed, By Your own hand,our daily bread.

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Understanding "Daily Bread":

This simple request is profound. It means:

1. Dependence, Not Self-Sufficiency: It acknowledges that God is the source of all provision. We may work, but it is God who gives the ability and the opportunity (Deuteronomy 8:18).

2. Contentment, Not Greed: It asks for what we need "today," not what we want for a lifetime. It fights against worry about tomorrow and the temptation to hoard (Matthew 6:34).

3. Trust, Not Anxiety: Praying this daily is an act of faith. It is laying our needs before our Father and trusting that He knows and will provide (Philippians 4:19).

4. Both Physical and Spiritual: While it directly asks for physical sustenance, the broader meaning points to our need for God's Word (Matthew 4:4) and for Christ Himself, the true Bread of Life, to nourish our souls every day.

A Prayer for Daily Bread:

"Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being my provider. You own the cattle on a thousand hills, and yet You care for my smallest need.

Today, I ask You for my daily bread. Provide the food I need, the resources required for my responsibilities, and the strength for my tasks. I trust You to meet these needs according to Your riches in glory.

But Father, also feed my soul. Give me today my portion of Your Word. Let me taste the goodness of Jesus, the Bread of Life. Satisfy me with Your presence, so that I may live in contentment and peace.

Forgive me for my anxiety and for striving in my own strength. I look to You. My hope is in You.

In Jesus' name, Amen."