Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

Luke 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

Matthew 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Deuteronomy 33:25b. . . And as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

Psalm 145:15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

MEMORY VERSE: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger. . . . —John 6:35

CENTRAL THOUGHT: The first of the four requests for “us”, this prayer shows our trust in God for even our daily food. We ask God for what is sufficient for us and our family. But even beyond physical and temporal needs, we recognize He supplies our daily spiritual and emotional needs. Freedom from anxious care and worry are implied by this request.

WORD DEFINITIONS

Matthew 6:11, “daily”: what is necessary and sufficient for the day. “bread”: literally, a loaf, but used as meaning food of any kind. “By ‘bread’ is meant all the necessaries of life. . . it is called ‘ours’; not that we have a right unto it, much less deserve it, but to distinguish it from that of beasts; and because it is what we need, and cannot do without; what is appointed for us by providence, is ours by gift, and possessed by labor. It is said to be ‘daily’ bread, and to be asked for ‘day by day’; which suggests the uncertainty of life; strikes at all anxious and immoderate cares for the morrow; is designed to restrain from covetousness, and to keep up the duty of prayer, and constant dependence on God; whom we must every day ask to ‘give’ us our daily bread: for he is the sole author of all our mercies; which are all his free gifts; we deserve nothing at his hands: wherefore we ought to be thankful for what we have, without murmuring at his providences, or envying at what he bestows on others. All kind of food, everything that is eatable, is with the Jews called ‘bread’ .” —Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Luke 12:29, “doubtful mind”: to be in suspense; anxious.

Matthew 6:34, “take therefore no thought”: do not worry or be anxious. “sufficient”: enough. “evil”: trouble.

Philippians 4:6, “be careful for nothing”: Don’t be worried or anxious about anything.

Psalm 145:15, “in due season”: at the proper time.

Psalm 34:9, 10, “want”: to lack, suffer a need; poverty.

LESSON BACKGROUND

The Jews had a long history of God’s provision for them. In the wilderness, time after time, God had given them water and food; the ultimate example being the manna that He supplied every morning (except the Sabbath). The principles associated with the gathering of the manna seem to be alluded to here in Christ’s lesson. He goes on to teach the folly of distracting, anxious care for our physical needs, and to remind us that when we seek Him and His kingdom first, He, Who knows just what we need, will supply without fail.

David observes the way God supplies for all His creatures; but chiefly those who put their trust in God, he promises, will not want, or lack, anything.

The principle of daily is often expressed in Scripture. There are daily trials, which Christ promised would be just enough for one day. There is daily strength and grace promised for those daily trials. There is a cross we must bear daily. There is also a spiritual renewing that is day by day, and a daily bearing of our burdens.

A great wealth of promises and examples assures us that God is the true source of all that we need, and while we must do our part to diligently work (they had to gather the manna!) for our daily needs, we can, and must, trust in Him without worry or anxiety.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

DISCUSSION:

1. Trust vs. labor: Explain the balance.

2. Needs vs. wants: Does God promise to supply all our wants? How does this portion of the prayer curb covetousness?

3. Us vs. Me: Explain how Christ is teaching the need for parents to bring the family together in prayer for the needs of the home. How are community and brotherhood taught as well?

4. Trust vs. Worry: Why do we seem prone to worry, and even to justify worry, when the Scriptures clearly teach a calm trust in God? What are practical ways we can overcome anxiety?

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

Having focused, first and foremost, on His Name, His Kingdom, and His Will, we can now turn our attention to our needs, with the unquestioning confidence that He is our Father; He truly exists; He hears from Heaven and condescends to answer our prayer; that as we have put Him and His concerns first, He will supply all our needs. What a statement of positive faith this is! It is not just a “gimme” mentality, but an affirmation that our Father will give what is sufficient for us. There is contentment here, and gratitude, and confidence.

That confidence is balanced by a diligent work ethic also taught by Scripture. Consider: “Prudent care is never forbidden by our Lord, but only that anxious, distracting solicitude, which, by dividing the mind, and drawing it different ways, renders it utterly incapable of attending to any solemn or important concern. To be anxiously careful concerning the means of subsistence is to lose all satisfaction and comfort in the things which God gives, and to act as a mere infidel. On the other hand, to rely so much upon Providence as not to use the very powers and faculties with which the Divine Being has endowed us, is to tempt God. If we labor without placing our confidence in our labor, but expect all from the blessing of God, we obey His will, co-operate with His providence, set the springs of it a-going on our behalf, and thus imitate Christ and His followers by a sedate care and an industrious confidence.” —Adam Clarke.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

REFLECTIONS

David said, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). In verse 40 of this same chapter he says, “And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.”

What a privilege to trust in the Lord for all our needs! We can be sure the Lord is faithful. “Hath a mortal yet been found Who hath trusted Him in vain? Search the whole broad space of earth around, And search it once again.” (Evening Light Songs, # 334)
1 Kings 17:1-16 gives the inspiring accounts of how the Lord commanded the ravens to feed Elijah by the brook Cherith, then afterward, miraculously provided his daily bread through a widow woman who trusted and obeyed the Word of the Lord. The widow’s faith was tested when she, having “but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse,” was requested by Elijah to “make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth” (verses 13-14). The outcome of believing the Word of the Lord and honoring His prophet’s request, notwithstanding the need of herself and her son, was: “She, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah” (verses 15-16).

“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed” (Psalm 37:3).

—Bro. Harlan Sorrell