The Lord's Prayer (It's Yours) - 4 Day Devotional With Matt MaherSample

Day 3 – Daily Bread and Daily Debts

The famous, “The Lord’s Prayer” is a model from Jesus of how we should pray. Prayer was a rather confusing and elusive practice to the Jews at that time who would often go into the temple to meet with the Father. And although the veil has been torn and we walk in freedom today of talking to God whenever and wherever - The Lord’s Prayer still applies (without fail) to us as believers today.

In Matthew 6 Jesus begins, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:9-12).

Oftentimes, this part of The Lord’s Prayer is one that we deeply understand and know well. We know how to pray for things that we want, and we know that we have to pray for forgiveness. But, before you brush this day off and continue on, Jesus wants to bring you into a deeper prayer life with Him and a deeper understanding of prayerfulness.

The idea of daily bread comes from the Exodus of God’s people out of Egypt! While they were wandering the desert, God provided them with daily bread, or “manna”. We see this in Exodus 16:2, 4, “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron…Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.’”

The people of God were not to gather extra bread - only what they needed for that day. And this is where the idea of “daily bread” comes from. It’s the recognition that God is a provider that will give us exactly what we need for that day.

Yes, God wants to hear ALL of your requests. He deeply cares about your hopes and dreams and everything in between. Yet, praying for your “daily bread”, or for God to provide exactly what you need that day, is a prayer full of FAITH!! It’s trusting that God knows more than us and will give us just what we need for the day ahead.

As The Lord’s Prayer continues, it discusses the nature of forgiveness - something that doesn’t come easily to us, “And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Asking God for forgiveness is a normal practice within the Christian life, but this verse brings conviction.

We have to be actively forgiving those that have sinned against us or hurt us just as much as we ask God for forgiveness for our own sins. We all are equal at the foot of the cross and Jesus wants us to forgive as He does*.

Pray:

Listen to “The Lord’s Prayer (It’s Yours)” by Matt Maher and take a moment to pray.

1. Pray for your daily bread. Where do you need the Lord to show up today?
2. Pray for God to help you forgive those that have hurt you. Is there anyone that you need to have a follow-up conversation with?
3. Pray for forgiveness for your own sins.

*Note, forgiveness is not a one-fits-all task. It is nuanced, and in some situations while you are called to forgive, - you may need to distance yourself from someone that is potentially harmful or unrepentant. We pray with expectation that the Lord will give you discernment.