Lord, you know … even before I ask - 12 November 2024

Even before the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, he reminded them in Matthew 6:8 that God knows what we need before we ask. God knows, yet Jesus teaches us to ask for even the most basic needs, like bread, on a daily basis in our prayers.

I suspect that this is the one prayer request that we are not struggling with. It comes naturally for us to ask: “Give me …” The danger might be that this is the only part of the prayer we remember to pray. This is why the rest of the Lord’s Prayer needs to be learned.

Jesus taught in verse 7 that we do not need to use lots of words to convey our requests, he called it “babbling like pagans”. He reminded us that God knows exactly what we need. But then, he teaches us to continue to ask for the things we need. Make your needs known to God in prayer daily. You are a child of God. You are always welcome at his throne of grace. He has created you; your specific needs are known to him. He will not forget what you need. The reason we are taught to ask him daily is for our benefit, so that we will not forget where all good gifts come from. When we ask God, we remember that we are dependent on him as our provider. When we ask and we receive, we grow in gratitude. When we receive, we learn to thank God.

In this prayer, it goes above only physical bread. It encompasses our need for food on our table. It involves clean drinking water. It is about the needs of our physical body, to live a life healthily in our human body that honours God.

Jesus taught us to ask for our bread daily. We learn to live for today as we experience the hand of God providing for our daily bread. We learn to trust God to get through today, seeing all our needs met without anxiety for the future. On a lighter note, Jesus taught us to ask for daily bread, not for the whole bakery so that we would not need to ask anymore. God wants us to trouble him daily in prayer for our needs. He finds joy in providing for us, we are never unwelcome when we ask him anything. Paul repeated this fact in Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Daily prayer and trust bring peace to our hearts.

Prayer: Lord, you have created me. You are my provider in every need. Thank you that I may rely on your faithfulness today, taking care of my daily bread. Your Word promises that you will give all I need to live and to serve you. Teach me not to be anxious about anything, but to trust in your providence for today. Amen