A Humble Dependence

A Humble Dependence

Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11

As Christ teaches us to pray, He arrives at the portion of our praying which addresses our personal needs. He teaches us to pray, ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ What does this teach us? It teaches us that ours is a humble dependence upon God. We are, in and of ourselves, penniless and utterly impoverished. We are nothing and have nothing. Our very life and breath depends upon the Mercy and Grace of God. When we come to the place of prayer, we are coming as beggars to the Bakery of Heaven, seeking that God, out of His vast storehouse, will give us what is necessary for the sustaining of life itself. Our life consists of four areas:  the physical, the mental, the spiritual, and the social. When we say, ‘Give us this day our daily bread,’ we are humbly declaring that we bring nothing to the table in any area. Once we have arrived at that understanding, we look to Christ. Prayer bring us to utter abandonment of all pride and all self-righteousness. We arrive at the Throne of Grace in the position of humble dependence upon the only One Who can do us ‘helpless sinners good.’ This is how He saved us, and this is how we live. A right view of Christ will give us a right view of ourselves. In a de facto way it will bring us daily to the place of prayer. There we will pray, ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’

Our Great and Gracious God,
we rejoice that Your door is always open
and that Your invitation is warm.
We praise You for the high and holy privilege
we have to come humbly before You
confessing our need and that You will do us good.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning