THE BARNABAS STRATEGY: When you pray-The Lord’s Prayer (Part 4).

Now, our focus shifts from aligning with what God wants in the opening petitions to addressing our human needs by seeking God’s provision — Give us this day our daily bread (Mat 6:11).

The issue of God’s provision has been interpreted with extreme variations. Some focus on human effort with a divine assist; “God helps those who help themselves .” “Many have attributed its origin to Benjamin Franklin but the roots of this idea go all the way back to ancient Greece…” It was introduced in 17th c. England by a politician, Algernon Sydney (https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/why-god-helps-those-who-help-themselves-is-presumed-to-be-biblical.html). Unfortunately this perspective can create problems with pride and reluctance to embrace our dependence on God. Another extreme variation on provision finds expression in the prosperity gospel. I have an admitted bias opposing this focus. In this extreme, the divine/human relationship is about receiving material blessings (aka, the Cash Register God). A quick internet search for prosperity preachers produces Robert Tilton, T. L. Osborn, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland, etc.

The daily bread petition in the Lord’s Prayer presents a different perspective on God’s provision—Give us this day our daily bread. Here are some observations to consider:

Give us—These opening words place the petition in an intimate community (first person plural pronoun) that acknowledges its dependence on God. Previously, the Lord’s Prayer opened with praise and seeking God’s will, setting the context for pursuing divine provision. With confidence, we respectfully ask God to provide for our community (family, church, etc.) because God has always provided for believers (see manna in Exodus 16). From the time of Abraham until today, there is an unending witness to God’s provision. So much so, that this characteristic is revealed in one of the biblical names for God; Jehovah Jireh which means “the Lord will provide.” As a young husband and father, I took a 65% pay cut to go to seminary and enter the ministry. Every time I thought our little family community wasn’t going to survive financially, Jehovah Jireh provided. Our story isn’t unique, but is consistent with thousands of years of testimonies because manna is a sign of God’s hesed (see The Lord’s Prayer (Part 1)).

this day—We need God’s provision every day. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take reasonable measures to prepare for future needs, especially in these uncertain times. However, our security cannot ultimately come from temporary material things, no matter how much we have. It’s a matter of keeping our spiritual focus where it belongs. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mat 6:19-21). In other words, our daily acknowledgment of God’s provision helps to keep our focus on heaven.

our daily bread—The commentators have long agreed that we are not just talking about our daily bread (food). “Indeed, many of the primitive fathers understood it as comprehending that daily supply of grace which the soul requires…” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary). But it’s important to remember that this is a reference to our needs, not our greeds. The soul doesn’t require yachts, exotic cars, or mansions. In fact, riches are often spiritual stumbling blocks (see Luke 18:25). What the human soul requires is continual contact with the Holy Spirit. There is no effective substitute for a daily supply of grace!

(TO BE CONTINUED with forgiveness — and forgive us our debts (trespasses), as we also have forgiven our debtors (trespassers).

The Barnabas Strategy is an initiative of the Holy Spirit free of institutional constraints. … Ron Bellomy