Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Psalm 37; Lord's Day 50
Psalters: 286, 328, 400, 100
  1. The humble petition.
    1. Why ask only for "bread" in our age of affluence?
    2. “Bread” is a figure of speech to indicate what man needs to be sustained in this life (till God takes us from it).
    3. Jesus has us add “daily” so we live one day at a time.
      1. This is contrary to our nature, for we are inclined to be worried about tomorrow.
      2. Security comes not from the abundant possession of physical things, but from trust in Jehovah and His promises.
  2. This petition requires a spiritual attitude of faith.
    1. First, we are taught to acknowledge God's sovereign, providential care of us.
    2. Second, this petition expresses our conscious dependence on God.
    3. Third, this petition make us express our childlike trust and confidence in our heavenly Father.
    4. Fourth, this petition is also a request for grace to be content with only bread, and only for today.
    5. Fifth, this petition expresses the thought that it may be God's will that we be without daily bread (II Cor. 11:27; Heb. 11:37; Rev. 13:17).
    6. Sixth, this petition requires that we walk in God's way with respect to bread, i.e., not sluggards, wasters, gamblers, etc.
  3. The wonderful significance: our Teacher words this petition so it is very spiritual.
    1. The end is that we may withdraw our trust from all creatures (including especially ourselves) and place it on our Father.
    2. Trust in God means that we are concerned for the whole body of Christ, not only for ourselves: “us,” “our.”
    3. This petition teaches contentment.
    4. Our trust is in Him Who is the Father of widows and orphans and widowers.