Every. Single. Day.

:Part 4 of a series on the Lord's prayer

Give us each day our daily bread. - Luke 11:3

Finally.  A straightforward, easy to understand line of the prayer.  Give us each day our daily bread.  That God would bestow on us the basics of life; that we would have what we need, and as much as we need (not want,  just need) to sustain us.  Every. Single. Day. 

Once I was asked, "What do you hope to hear God say when you get to heaven?" 
I responded, "God would say, 'You were right, heaven does smell like a bakery!'" 
Is there anything more comforting or welcoming than the aroma of bread baking? (Even the gluten free and low carb versions smell wonderful in the oven, so as not to exclude anyone from this delight.)

It's no wonder Bread has become a staple of life. It connects us to the land, connects us to one another when we "break bread" and share a meal, and reminds us that we are connected to Christ when we celebrate in communion.

Bread sits on the tables of the wealthy and the poor, the free and the prisoner, the evil and the good. Jesus uses 5 loaves of bread to feed 5000; to teach us the importance of sharing even the ordinary, basics of what we have with those around us. Bread blesses those who are hungry, and sustains those who have little else.  

To ask In prayer for God to give us each day our daily bread, infers that we will have not just enough to fill ourselves, but to share with others.  We are meant to be meeting with others, including others, and sharing with others, the bread we've been given. Every. Single. Day. 

The place of Jesus's birth, Bethlehem, translated literally means, "House of bread."  It is no coincidence that one who refers to himself as the "Bread of Life" would be born in the "House of Bread."  He is the staple of our lives. He meets us, includes us, shares with us the revelation of God in ourselves and one another.  Every. Single. Day.

When we pray, "give us each day our daily bread," we pray for the eyes to see the face of Jesus in every day things, in the staples of life, in every person, in all of creation; and the grace to share the Bread of Life, as much as we've been given. 

Peace and warm bread to you this day,
Pastor Linda

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