Pray This Way-Give Us Today...

Today I would like to discuss the next section of the way the Lord instructed us to pray. This is the section that has to do with our provision. You may be shocked at what I am about to write!

I was always troubled by this portion of the Word regarding the proper way to pray. According to most modern versions of the Bible it reads, "Give us today our daily bread." I was always troubled by this phrase because I thought it was saying that the Lord's heart was only to give us what we needed for each day. That bothered me because it didn't match God's promises and His nature of "more than enough." God is an abundant God, so why would Jesus tell us to pray for enough for just one day?

The religious mind says "just enough" is God's way of keeping us coming to Him and always seeking Him. That is nonsense! God is not a God who rations out His riches to HIS children! He is abundant and wants His children living in that abundance. What good father would not?

Through further study I found out that the word "daily" is the Greek word "epiousion" which is used only twice the the Bible (Matthew 6:11 & Luke 11:3). This word is not used in any other ancient document! Therefore there are differing opinions about what epiousion really means. Some scholars render this word "daily" while other render it "tomorrows." So which is it? "Give us today our daily bread" OR "Give us today tomorrows bread?" My answer is, BOTH!

Remember back in Exodus when God sent manna from Heaven? Remember what God instructed the children of Israel to do on the 6th day? He told them to collect a double portion, one for that day and a portion for TOMORROW, the Sabbath day, the day of REST! Only with a double portion can we have complete rest! With the double portion there is never a worry about tomorrows provision! With the double portion we can honor God by resting in His provision, free from worrying about our future.

When we pray in this way, "Give us today the double portion" we are praying this prayer according to God's heart and nature. He is an abundant God, the more-than-enough God, who wants to give us the double portion so we can enter into true rest with Him. Just think, if you prayed for the double portion every day, you would ALWAYS live in abundance and have more than enough for yourself and to share with others. You would fulfill the heart of God my living perpetually in the 7th day and remaining in the Sabbath rest with God.

Shalom!

I hope this post will blow your mind and get you into a further study of the "model prayer." Our God is awesome and He always wants to give us more than enough.