Back to Sermon Index The Kitchen of Prayer... Give us this day our daily bread March 2, 2008 Today we get into the heart of the prayer. We are moving from the family room into the kitchen. In most homes, the kitchen is really the center of life. Whenever we have friends over, we often chat in the kitchen while the meal is getting ready. And so we move in the great house of prayer that Jesus gave us. Give us this day, our daily bread. There are some basics in prayer that are reflected in this simple request. First, that God cares about the whole person. God cares about our daily needs. We are human beings, and we have basic needs that are common to us all, regardless of where we live. We all need food and water. We all need shelter. We all need family...people who love us and we all need a place to belong...a sense of community. We have human needs, desires, hopes and dreams. We don't lose our humanity to become spiritual. That is one of the things the incarnation shows us. That Jesus became a man...that he was tired and hungry and alone at times in clear in the Gospels. This is very important. The book of Hebrews says that we "don't have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16). When we pray for our daily bread, our family and our work, Jesus understands and sympathizes with our needs and longings. Further, we know that all good gifts come from God. Not just spiritual gifts, but all good gifts. The beauty of a rose, the touch of a hand, the glory of chocolate! God is not just interested in our mind or soul, but also our bodies. Jesus invites us to pray for our physical needs. We are invited to pray for our daily bread. What we need for the moment. It is reminiscent of the Manna God provided in the wilderness in the Exodus. Each family was to collect what they needed for that day. If you tried to collect more than one day, the manna spoiled before morning (except on the Sabbath, where you were instructed to gather two days worth, and it did not spoil). The daily is important. Later in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus elaborates regarding our tendency to worry. He says that we are not to worry about what we are to eat or what to wear, for our Heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask. First seek his Kingdom and his Righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Do not worry about tomorrow, for each day has enough cares of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34). Don't worry about tomorrow, each day has its own concern. That does not mean we can't plan for the future or save for a rainy day, but we have to focus on living in this day. This is the only day we have for sure. Remember, that the future is unwritten and uncertain...today is the day of God's salvation. This is the day the Lord has made. The prayer also says Bread. It has been said many times that the prayer does not encourage us to pray for cake..but for what we need to sustain us. But that is not absolute. It is more about life than particular prayers for cake or bread. Sometimes we need cake too. And really, Bread is symbolic for life. In many cultures, Korean and Japanese, the word for Rice is the same as the word for life. That is really the meaning here...pray for your daily life. It is also very important to remember that Jesus calls us to pray for OUR daily bread/life. Not MY needs, but the prayer is plural. As Christians we must always remember that we live connected to others. We are part of the Body of Christ and we are all children of God...and we are reminded to remember the needs of others was we pray for our own. Give US today what we need lord...all of us. The question arises who we are to remember in our prayer for daily bread. We are called to see and pray for the needs of others, those around us. It is said several times that Jesus saw the crowds and instead of thinking about himself...how tired or hungry he was, he was moved with compassion for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. The prayer comes just after the section of the Sermon on the Mount on giving. Jesus assumes our generosity when he beings by saying "when you give..." instead of "If you give". As Christians we have received much from the Lord's hand. We have been saved by grace and restored in love. We have been given the gift of the church to love and care, as well as challenge and engage us as the body of Christ. Therefore, if we are so loved, we too must love. John writes that "we love because he first loved us" and as we come to understand the depth of love and mercy expressed towards us we can do no other than to want to give to those around us. We are moved by compassion, because God continues to be moved and his spirit is within us...moving us to give. Today is the one great hour of sharing. It is a Sunday set aside in every United Methodist Church to take a special offering for the United Methodist Committee on Relief. It is the outreach arm of the church and has four major emphasis. Refugees: those displaced by the ravages of war or persecution or famine. These are certainly the least of those among us. UMCOR works in refugee camps and toward both resettlement and restoration of refugees. Disaster Response: from Hurricane Katrina to the Tusmani in Indonesian to the flood in Fernley Nevada and the Earthquake in Eli. The UMCOR works to provide food, shelter and support to those who are going through terrible times. World Hunger: responding to the continued need to those who are poor. UMCOR provides direct food assistance, but also works with appropriate agriculture and husbandry to help people be able to feed themselves. 100% of all monies raised go directly into relief of these needs for daily bread. All the overhead is paid for our of other church funds. Want to see a short video about one of the ways UMCOR helps. "WORLD HUNGER" Back to Sermon Index