Physical needs are important (The Father’s sustenance)
“Give us this day our daily bread”
• God is cares about your physical needs
Because God is our Father he cares for us. He is our Provider. God as our Father is our Shepherd. And He is therefore concerned about all our physical needs. We as humans consist of body and soul. We cannot neglect our bodies. God wants us to love our bodies. And as a Father, although He knows what we need every day, wants us to ask him to provide in our physical needs. What kind of a father abandons his children and gives them no place to stay and no food to eat? Paul said, such people, such early fathers are worse than unbelievers. Even unbelievers care for their children. God as our Father is a much greater Father than the best father on earth. Therefore, Jesus commanded his disciples, “ask and you will receive that your joy may be full”. God wants us to ask, so that we may see a multitude of answered prayers and so experience the care and love and provisions of the Father and be closely knitted to Him. God loves his children and cares for them.
• Daily bread means daily necessities
The words “Give us this day our daily bread” means “Give us today our daily necessities”, not luxuries. The word bread stands for daily needs, daily necessities. In times like this God knows exactly what we need. We have many physical needs, medical needs, need for water, food, housing and for the future. So when Jesus called us to pray for our daily bread he knew what we would need in all the phases of our lives. And again, we should not be anxious about these things. Remember, you have a Father, in Christ, and He promised He will provide in our needs.
Again, listen to the words: “Give US this day, our daily bread”. When you are a child of God you are part of a family. We should not only pray for our own needs but for others in the family of God. Our first priority as children of God is the family of God and their needs.
• God is interested in the details of our lives
Jesus said to his disciples, not a hair of your head shall perish without the will of the Father and that God numbers the hair on your head (Matthew 10:25-30). Why did Jesus say that? God our Father is concerned about the details of our lives. Our employment, our health, our well-being, our suffering, our physical needs, everything about us. That is what a good father should be concerned about. He is concerned not just about your soul and salvation but about your physical needs. Pray, and God will provide in our daily sustenance!
INTERETHNICMISSIONS 