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“Daily Trust in Provision” centers on one of the most simple and yet most searching petitions in all of Scripture:
> “Give us today our daily bread.”
> — Matthew 6:11 (NIV)
These are the words of Jesus, teaching His disciples how to pray. They are part of what we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” but more accurately it is the disciples’ prayer—the pattern He gave us to shape our daily relationship with our Father in heaven.
The song takes this one petition and unfolds it: not as a vague religious phrase, but as a pattern for a lifestyle—trusting God *daily* for all that we need.
Before we examine the lyrics, we must settle one fact:
Jesus told us to pray this way. This is not optional. This is not poetry. This is a command and an invitation into a different way of living—freed from anxiety, greed, and self-reliance, brought into dependence, trust, and contentment.
Let us look at what the Word of God says.
The words, “Give us today our daily bread,” come from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Jesus is teaching His disciples in the hills of Galilee, in a world marked by:
Most people did not have savings. If they did not work, they did not eat. Into that setting, Jesus teaches His disciples not to pray for abundance stored away, but for *today’s* provision.
In Matthew 6, Jesus addresses three main areas that trouble the human heart:
1. Giving (Matt. 6:1–4)
2. Prayer (Matt. 6:5–15)
3. Anxiety about material needs (Matt. 6:25–34)
The petition “Give us today our daily bread” stands between prayer and anxiety. It is the bridge from trusting God in prayer to being free from worry.
Note the sequence:
Provision is not first. God is first—His name, His kingdom, His will. Only then does Jesus teach us to ask for bread. That order is not accidental. It is spiritual protection against making provision our god.
Jesus spoke these words to disciples living under daily pressure. Many were fishermen, craftsmen, ordinary workers. They knew hunger. Some had experienced days with no catch, no income, no food.
Jesus confronts the natural anxiety of the human heart and establishes a new pattern: Trust your Father *today* for *today’s* needs.
To understand this petition more deeply, we look at two key words in Matthew 6:11.
### 1. “Daily” – Greek: ἐπιούσιος (epiousios)
This is a very unusual word. In fact, it appears only here (Matthew 6:11 and Luke 11:3) in the New Testament. Scholars have wrestled with its meaning. The main suggestions are:
The safest and most common understanding is: bread sufficient for the day that is upon us.
The idea is not surplus, not luxury, not storage for years ahead—but sufficient provision for *this* day’s needs.
The song captures this:
> “Not riches for tomorrow stored away
> But bread enough to see us through”
God is not opposed to planning or wise stewardship, but this petition deals with the heart attitude. Do I trust God for *daily* sufficiency? Or do I demand security in stockpiles?
### 2. “Bread” – Greek: ἄρτος (artos)
The word *artos* can mean literal bread, food in general, or even figuratively spiritual sustenance. In the Jewish context of the Sermon on the Mount, it very clearly includes:
Later in the New Testament, Jesus reveals Himself as:
> “I am the bread of life.”
> — John 6:35
So, when we pray “Give us today our daily bread,” we are asking at two levels:
1. Literal – food, shelter, daily material needs
2. Spiritual – Christ Himself as our sustaining life
The song rightly brings both together:
> “You are the Bread, the Living One
> In You our every need is done”
This double meaning is not a stretch. It is how Scripture itself develops the theme of bread: from manna in the wilderness, to daily bread, to Christ as the Bread of Life.
Let us now walk through the themes of the lyrics and connect them to Scripture.
### A. “Each morning when we come to pray”
> “Each morning when we come to pray
> We ask for what we need today
> Not riches for tomorrow stored away
> But bread enough to see us through
> You know our hunger, You provide
> Just like the manna long ago
>
> Give us today our daily bread”
This stanza brings together two biblical patterns:
1. Daily prayer
2. Daily provision
In Exodus 16, Israel complained in the wilderness about lack of food. God answered with manna:
> “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.’”
> — Exodus 16:4
Notice the same principle: “enough for that day.” God tested Israel’s heart: Would they trust Him daily, or would they hoard?
When some tried to store manna overnight (contrary to God’s instruction), it rotted (Ex. 16:19–20). God deliberately designed a system that required daily dependence.
The song echoes this principle: “Not riches for tomorrow stored away / But bread enough to see us through.”
This opposes two spiritual errors:
Jesus addresses both in Luke 12:15:
> “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
And in Matthew 6:34:
> “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
The daily rhythm of prayer—“Each morning when we come to pray”—is not mere religious habit. It is the means by which our hearts are realigned: from striving to trusting, from hoarding to receiving.
### B. “You fed the crowds with loaves and fish”
> “You fed the crowds with loaves and fish
> Five thousand ate from just one gift
> You taught us not to worry for tomorrow
> But trust You’ll give us what we need
> Day by day, Your faithful hand
> Supplies the grace to help us stand
>
> Give us today our daily bread”
This stanza refers directly to the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13–21; John 6:1–14). There, Jesus takes five loaves and two fish, gives thanks, breaks them, and feeds a multitude.
Three truths emerge:
1. God uses what is given – the “one gift” (a boy’s lunch; John 6:9).
2. Jesus is not limited by visible resources – He multiplies what is insufficient.
3. Jesus ties this miracle to Himself as the true Bread (John 6:26–35).
After feeding the crowds, Jesus warns them:
> “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.”
> — John 6:26
He then redirects them:
> “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life…”
> — John 6:27
The song reflects this proper balance. It acknowledges literal provision (“You fed the crowds with loaves and fish”), but then shifts to trust and grace:
> “Day by day, Your faithful hand
> Supplies the grace to help us stand”
Notice the shift: from physical provision to *grace*. Hebrews 4:16 uses similar language:
> “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
“Daily bread” includes “grace to help us stand” under pressure, temptation, and trial. It is not only bread for the body but strength for the soul.
### C. “We’re not forgotten in the wilderness”
> “We’re not forgotten in the wilderness
> You lead us still, You guide, You bless
> Like Israel learned in desert sand
> To gather only what You send
> Enough for now, enough for strength
> Your provision comes in perfect length
>
> Give us today our daily bread”
Here the song returns to the wilderness imagery.
The wilderness in Scripture is both:
Deuteronomy 8:2–3 reveals God’s purpose in the manna:
> “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you… He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna… to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”
Note the three steps:
1. He caused you to hunger – God allows lack.
2. He fed you – God provides.
3. He taught you – God reveals a deeper lesson: dependence on His word.
“Enough for now, enough for strength” is precisely the nature of God’s provision. It is sufficient, not indulgent. It is tailored, not random. It is “in perfect length.”
Paul expresses this principle in 2 Corinthians 9:8:
> “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need (*autarkeia*—sufficiency), you will abound in every good work.”
God’s goal is not to make us comfortable, but to make us fruitful. His provision is measured according to His purpose.
### D. “Not greedy hearts that hoard and grasp”
> “Not greedy hearts that hoard and grasp
> But open hands that simply ask
> Teach us to live in dependence sweet
> One day at a time at Your feet
> You are the Bread, the Living One
> In You our every need is done
>
> Give us today our daily bread”
Here, the song becomes very pointed. It addresses the condition of the heart.
1. Greedy hearts that hoard and grasp
2. Open hands that simply ask
Greed and fear both produce hoarding. But the root is unbelief. We do not believe that God will continue to provide, so we try to secure our own future.
Jesus warns in Matthew 6:19–21:
> “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Notice: The issue is not the bank account first; it is the heart. The song rightly prays for “open hands that simply ask.”
In Philippians 4:6, Paul writes:
> “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
That is “open hands that simply ask.” We bring our need. We do not manipulate. We do not demand luxury. We trust.
Then the ultimate statement:
> “You are the Bread, the Living One
> In You our every need is done”
Here the lyrics align very closely with John 6:
> “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
> — John 6:35
Christ is not merely the Giver. He is the Gift. He does not only supply bread. He *is* the Bread. When we receive Him, we receive the One in whom “all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).
This guards us from using God as a mere provider while ignoring His person. He is not the supermarket. He is the Savior and Lord.
### E. “So here we pray with childlike trust”
> “So here we pray with childlike trust
> For food and shelter, all that’s just
> You promise never to forsake
> Your children when we seek Your face
> Today’s enough—Your grace, Your care
> Our daily bread is in this prayer
>
> Give us today our daily bread”
The final stanza emphasizes: childlike trust.
Jesus says in Matthew 18:3:
> “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Children do not anxiously calculate tomorrow’s menu. They trust the care of their father and mother. Jesus calls us to the same posture.
Hebrews 13:5–6 contains the promise hinted in the lyrics:
> “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
> So we say with confidence,
> “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
When we pray, “Give us today our daily bread,” with childlike trust, we are not merely securing food. We are resting in the presence, care, and faithfulness of God.
“Today’s enough—Your grace, Your care / Our daily bread is in this prayer.” That is a profound statement: The act of praying in trust is itself part of the provision. It brings our heart into alignment with God’s order, where His peace guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7).
This petition is not theory. It is meant to be lived. Let us outline some practical steps.
### 1. Establish a Daily Rhythm of Asking
Jesus said:
> “Give us today our daily bread.”
This assumes we will pray *daily*.
A practical proclamation we can make:
> “Father, I present to You this day. I receive from You the provision that is sufficient for today—no more, no less, but exactly what You know I need.”
### 2. Renounce Anxiety about Tomorrow
Obedience here is concrete. Jesus commands in Matthew 6:34, “Do not worry about tomorrow.”
We must treat anxiety as what it really is: a form of unbelief. We do not condemn ourselves, but we do not excuse it. We bring it to the cross.
A practical step:
### 3. Resist Greed and Hoarding
This requires deliberate choices.
2 Corinthians 9:10–11 says that God supplies seed to the sower and bread for food. Seed is for sowing, bread is for eating. When we eat our seed or store all our bread, we move out of God’s pattern.
A practical discipline:
### 4. Feed Daily on the Word and on Christ
“Daily bread” is not only material. It is also spiritual.
Jeremiah 15:16 says:
> “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.”
John 6:57–58 teaches that feeding on Christ (by faith, through His Word and Spirit) is our true life.
A practical pattern:
### Proclamation
Say this aloud, deliberately, as an act of faith:
> I proclaim that the Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not lack.
> Today, I look to my Father in heaven for my daily bread.
> I renounce anxiety about tomorrow and receive grace for today.
> God’s provision for me is sufficient, perfect in measure, and always on time.
> I refuse greedy hoarding and choose open hands that simply ask and gladly receive.
> Jesus Christ is my Bread of Life.
> In Him, all my needs—spiritual, emotional, and material—are met according to His riches in glory.
> I will live one day at a time, at His feet, in childlike trust.
> Give us today our daily bread. Amen.
### Prayer
Father in heaven,
We come to You as Your children, not as beggars but as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ.
You know our needs before we ask, yet You have commanded us to ask.
Today we ask: Give us today our daily bread.
Give us the food, the shelter, the resources that are necessary for this day.
Give us also the grace, the strength, and the wisdom to walk in obedience today.
Where our hearts have been ruled by fear of tomorrow, forgive us and cleanse us.
Where we have hoarded in unbelief, correct us and lead us into generosity.
Teach us to trust You as Israel had to trust You in the wilderness,
to gather only what You send, to be content with “enough for now, enough for strength.”
Lord Jesus, Bread of Life, we receive You afresh as our true sustenance.
Feed us with Your Word. Strengthen us by Your Spirit.
Let anxiety be replaced by peace, greed by gratitude, striving by rest.
We choose this day to live one day at a time, under Your care,
confident that You will never leave us nor forsake us.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and our Bread.
Amen.
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