Episode 62: The Fourth Petition

Give us this day our daily bread.

What does this mean? God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

What is meant by daily bread? Daily bread includes everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

Fourth Petition from the Large Catechism

1. God gives daily bread to
   1. Christians
   1. Those who pray to him
   1. Evil people
   1. Everyone.
      
      
2. True or False. Daily bread only includes food. 
   T   F
    
3. If God gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to evil people, why should we pray for it?
   1. So that we would realize that all we need in this life is given by God.
      “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; You satisfy the desires of every living thing.” Psalm 145:15-16
      “He makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45
      
      
   1. So that we would receive all this from God with thanksgiving.  
      “Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever!” Psalm 106:1
      “Address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19-20
      “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” 1 Timothy 4:4-5
      
      
   1. So that we would learn to pray to God and expect from him what we need in this life.
      “When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.” Psalm 91:15
      
      
      
4. Is good government a gift from God? What are some blessings you receive from God through the government?
   “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” Romans 13:3-4
   
   
   
   
5. Are parents (father and mother) blessings from God? What are some blessings of having good parents?
   
   
   
   
6. When you pray for daily bread, should you just expect God to drop food out of the sky? How does God give you what you need?
   “Even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
   
   God expects you to work.  
   
   
7. Do you only pray for daily bread for yourself? What should you do if God gives you more than you need or if you see others in need?
   “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8
   “If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:17
   
   We shouldn’t only pray for others in need, but when the opportunity comes help them.
   
   
8. How often should you pray for your daily bread? Why?
   “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34
   
   Every day, because God wants you to trust in him every day.
   
   
9. Read Matthew 6:25-34. With the confidence that God will provide for you what you need each day, what then can you focus on?
   “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
   
   The kingdom of God and his righteousness.  

Give us this day our daily bread,

And let us all be clothed and fed.

Save us from hardship, war, and strife;

In plague and famine, spare our life,

That we in honest peace may live,

To care and greed no entrance give. (LSB 766:5; Martin Luther, Our Father, Who from Heaven Above)