“Give us each day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3)

Prayer is a joint effort; a community project. Not only are we praying to “our Father,” but as this next request indicates we are praying for “our daily bread.” We are to be concerned for the provision of each member of the church family we are joined to. We are responsible to pray for the provision of those in our midst, not merely our own.

Prayer is a time of being joined together. It is a place where we can mourn with those who mourn, weep with those who weep and, as is expressed in this request, hunger with those who hunger. We pray together with the community of Christ both locally and with those in heaven and all the earth, so we are joined together with our brothers and sisters in their needs. Likewise, others are joined together with us in our needs. We lift one another up before our Father in heaven.

This is the first request that we are given that has an “our” in it rather than a “Your.” This in itself is an expression of God’s care for us. He has pity on us in our hunger. He hears our groaning. He doesn’t think this is unimportant or that it should be left til last. It also draws those who have plenty outside of themselves to think of the needs of those who do not. It should lead those who have plenty to ask, “how can I help those who are hungry today?” for that is the very reason we have been given plenty (2 Corinthians 8:14-15).

Love the Gospel, Live the Gospel, Advance the Gospel,
Jerry