GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD - The Lord's Prayer - Part 5
El pan nuestro de cada día, dánoslo hoy. - La Oración de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo - Parte 5
by
Mary Hunt Webb
Posted Sunday, January 31, 2016
Pita bread is a staple in many Mediterranean, Balkan, and Middle Eastern cuisines where it is useful for scooping sauces and dipping into oils and vinegar. [Photographer: Matan Reichman. Photo courtesy of Stockvault.net.]
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Pita. Bagel. Tortilla. Flatbread. Naan. Dinkelbrot. Chapatti. Challah. Matzo. Pashti. Pumpernickel. Sourdough. Focaccia. Cornbread. Indian fry bread. These are only a few of the breads from cultures around the world. It doesn't matter how you bake it, steam it, or fry it, bread is an important part of every culture.
In many parts of the world, the word "bread" means "food". When people speak of "breaking bread together", they are referring to the ritual of sharing food, hospitality, and time with one another. From that experience people gain mental stimulation and, often, spiritual refreshment as well as physical sustenance.
When we think of bread in association with the Bible, we may remember Jesus' last meal with His disciples, an event we have come to know as the Last Supper. However, there were other instances in the Bible in which bread or loaves are mentioned.
In the second chapter of the book of Ruth, the wealthy landowner, Boaz, offered Ruth some bread with which to dip in vinegar in Ruth 2:14: "At mealtime Boaz said to her, ‘Come over here. Have some bread, and dip it in the wine vinegar.' So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over (NIV)." That was a step toward his courtship of the young widow, Ruth. His offer of food in the form of bread and vinegar or sour wine was an important indication of his admiration for her.
The gift of bread is an indication of caring and of nurturing. When we pray, "Give us this day, our daily bread," we are asking for daily care and continued nurturing. We are acknowledging that God is our Source and that we trust Him to supply our needs. In doing so, we are including Him in the basic needs of our lives. That is what He wants; He wants to be included. And, that is what we are doing when we pray for the daily provision of bread. We are asking Him to be part of our lives every day.
So, don't hesitate to ask Him for bread. He is waiting to hear from you.
Our request for daily bread is a way that we acknowledge that we trust God to supply our needs. [Photographer: Merelize. Photo courtesy of Stockvault.net.]
BIBLE VERSES FOR THIS POSTING
Matthew 6:11 — Give us this day our daily bread. (King James Version)
Mateo 6:11 — El pan nuestro de cada día, dánoslo hoy. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Ruth 2:14 — At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come over here. Have some bread, and dip it in the wine vinegar." So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. (New International Version)
Rut 2:14 — Y Booz le dijo a la hora de comer: Ven aquí, y come del pan, y moja tu bocado en el vinagre. Y ella se sentó junto a los segadores, y él le dio del potaje, y comió hasta que se sació, y le sobró. (Reina-Valera 1960)
The provision of bread is part of nurturing and caring. [Photographer: Jack Moreh. Photo courtesy of Stockvault.net.]
