Smoodock's Blog

Most folks think that the mention of the third request in Jesus’ model prayer is the disciples’ request for the necessities of life. But, I wonder, which of us, who are parents, would welcome or would be pleased, if our children felt they had to ask for their food every day. Doesn’t such a request imply we aren’t good parents? What sort of parents would we be, if we didn’t think about our children’s necessities, unless they pleaded for them daily? If this is logical and true, why would we think we needed to ask God for our daily provision? Why would Jesus tell us to take no thought of what we should eat or drink or of the clothing we needed to wear (Matthew 6:32), saying that our Father already knows we have need of these things, then tell us we need to ask in prayer for the very things he tells us, “…take no thought?”

Isn’t Jesus saying that, if our Father knows what we need daily, he will provide for us without our asking? Don’t we, also, as parents, understand what our children need every day, and don’t we provide for them, daily, without special pleading on their part, or are we so negligent of our responsibilities that we wait for our children to beg us for their daily necessities of food and clothing?

If this argument is logical and true, what did Jesus mean, when he told his disciples to pray: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11)? This request is not for the fulfillment of our desires. When the Lord gave the children of Israel manna, was he fulfilling their desires (Deuteronomy 8:3)? In the end, they grew to despise their daily portion and demanded meat (Numbers 11:4-6; 21:5). What was the Lord doing then, and why were the people complaining? Ultimately, the Lord wished to take Israel into the Promised Land. However, along the way, circumstances arose that discouraged the people. The Lord’s point was for his people to keep their eyes on the goal. The discomfort the athlete feels, while he is in training, is something one should not only expect, but also embrace. One cannot win the gold without training. One cannot win the gold without suffering. One cannot win the gold without temporarily delaying fulfillment of one’s desires.

In other words, Jesus was telling his disciples to pray for what our Father knows we need. We may not know. In fact, while partaking of the Lord’s Table,[1] we may even disagree that this is what we need, certainly the children of Israel felt this way in the wilderness. What we experience every day is our portion from the Lord. What are we going to do with it? That’s our choice. We can act wisely, or we can act foolishly, but our daily portion from the Lord remains before us to reject or embrace. The children of Israel complained about their journey for the gold. Therefore, they couldn’t attain the prize, except for Joshua and Caleb who embraced their portion from the Lord (Numbers 14:23-24; 26:64-65; cp. Ecclesiastes 7:3-10).

The Table of the Lord, the Kingdom of God, is not food and drink (Romans 14:17). Therefore, the request that Jesus told his disciples to pray didn’t concern their perceived necessities of life: “what shall we eat… what shall we drink… what shall we put on…” (Matthew 6:25). Rather, it concerned praying for the will of God to be fulfilled in their lives, instead of their own wills (cp. Luke 22:42).[2]

Consider that our God (John 1:1) became flesh (John 1:14). He claimed to be the Bread of life that came down from heaven (John 6:33, 35). Our life, our living, our necessary bread is he who came down from heaven (John 6:51). A table is laid before us (Genesis 2:7-8, 15; Psalm 23:1-6), and we may freely eat (Genesis 2:16). Christ, our walking in him, is all we need, because in him are all the spiritual blessings we could ever desire (Ephesians 1:3). He is blessed forever (Romans 9:5) and our blessing is that we partake of him (John 6:33, 35). He gave us an example that we should follow (1Peter 2:21), and our partaking of him gives us “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” wherein we are fulfilled (Colossians 2:3, 10).

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[1] Concerning the Table of the Lord, see my earlier study: Rejoice at the Table of the Lord!

[2] In the matter of Luke 22:42, Jesus’ will wasn’t different or opposed to his Father’s will. See my earlier study: Did Jesus Pray to Avoid the Crucifixion?