Daily Bread

March 21, 2025

Give us this day our daily bread. ~ Matthew 6:11 NRSVCE

One of the pleasures in my life is praying with people and ending with the Lord’s Prayer.  I’ve been doing this for years as a pastor, and love when the person spontaneously joins me in the Lord’s Prayer. For people like me who grew up attending church regularly, the Lord’s Prayer is engraved in our memories.

But I need to confess that it wasn’t until last week that the Lord’s Prayer gave me some insight into discernment, by way of a memory of old-time AAA TripTiks. TripTiks were put together by AAA travel agents when you paid for this valuable service. Each page contained a map of the day’s drive, with notations about services and sights along the way. If you were curious or like the controlling part of me, I could view the beginning and the end by turning pages. They provided a sense of security that I held in my hands all I needed to know to get to my destination, unlike the GPS system on my smart phone that leads me turn by turn.

I’d been visiting a friend who was struggling with some health issues, including discernment about how to prepare for the long-term prognosis.  At the end of the visit, I asked if I might pray with her, and she said, “yes.” So, I did, ending with the Lord’s Prayer. And when I said out loud “gives us this day our daily bread,” the word “daily” jumped out at me.  Give us this day our daily bread fits for discernment as well.  Bread, daily, just enough for one day, trusting that I don’t need to worry about tomorrow. There will be enough wisdom and guidance, and food, and whatever else tomorrow may call for, and for the next day and the next.

God who knows beginning and end, who dwells in and with both at once, give me the patience to be satisfied with what I need today, trusting you for all my tomorrows. Give us this day our daily bread. ~ Anne