APR 19

Matthew 6:9-13
Memorise Matthew 6:11
“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Notice that this request comes only after we have sought God’s glory, kingdom and will. This is the order that God teaches us to follow. God’s name and glory should be our focus. In fact, it must be our priority. Jesus reiterated this when He concluded the chapter with these simple words, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you”. These things are our daily personal needs which God assures us will be added to us when we place Him as first priority.

The “daily bread” will include all our physical and material needs. These two words are meant to include our daily need for food, clothing, accommodation, health and medical care. We are to trust our Father to supply all of them, day by day. God has not promised to provide the many “wants” such as expensive computer games and gadgets. Matthew 6:8 records for us that “your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him”. Dear teen, we must, in our prayer, be ruled by the simple faith of trusting the Father who knows what we need before we ask Him, and has promised to provide all these things. Jesus continued to provide many examples of our Father’s provisions in nature when He feeds the birds (verse 26), enables us to grow without any effort on our part (verse 27), and clothes the common lilies of the field with beauty (verse 28). We are not to be anxious like the unbelievers for our heavenly Father knows our needs. We are certainly more precious and valuable to Him than the sparrows and the wild flowers by the roadside.

This request is the logical progression in our prayer request. This is the life of faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Pray on a daily basis for your daily needs. Manna was provided for the children of Israel as they gathered it day by day. When they gathered a double portion, thinking to leave it for the next day, it stank and rotted with worms (Exodus 16:20). So come to God daily, with your burdens and your sorrows, your heartaches, and your many anxieties and the Lord will sustain and see you through.

Thought: Our Father in heaven always knows best.
Prayer: Lord, let me rest content as I trust Thee to meet my daily needs.