Supplication

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13

Key Verse:  Matthew 6:11

Once we have acknowledged God for all that He is and has the power to do, we can then begin to pray for our own personal needs. It is important that we put God first before our own needs because then everything has the power to fall into place. Supplication is the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly. By asking for God’s will to be done in our lives, success is inevitable. This does not mean that you no longer have to express your needs and concerns because God wants to hear from you. However, it does mean that your needs are always a priority to God and your asking for them is vocalizing that you remember His promise to care for you. 

Verse 11 says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” It seems very short and sweet, but this verse is loaded with lessons for prayer. The first thing that it teaches us is to be direct about our needs. Jesus didn’t ramble in order to really only asking God to supply one need. He told God exactly what He wanted and then moved on in the prayer. We often spend a lot of time being vague and hinting at the problems in our lives instead of keeping it real with God and telling Him what we desire. If you are worried about your bills, then ask God to provide in that area. If you are worried about your health, then ask God for healing. If you are worried about your future, then ask God for direction. By keeping it to the point, you are showing that you trust God to make the best decision in that area of your life. If you have a list of concerns, then lay them at the feet of the Lord. Always just remember to be direct. 

The next thing we can see in this verse is the word “our.” You should be praying for the success of those around you at all times. God cares about all of us, so we should model His example and care about others. Sometimes that can be as simple as lifting up the homeless in prayer and asking that God keeps them safe. It may mean praying for those who are undocumented and living in the United States and asking God to comfort their heart during this trying time. It may also mean praying for your family and friends who may be dealing with issues that you know nothing about at the moment. The word “our” also signals that God sends us all what is meant for us and not the blessings of someone else. By using “our,” we are showing our contentment with the blessings that God has in store for us and fighting off the spirit of envy that causes us to want what others have. Simply put, pray for others and respect what God has for you as an individual.

The last great takeaway from this verse is that Jesus asks for His “daily bread.” What does this mean? It means He is asking for only what is necessary for survival. He is not asking for tomorrow’s portion or feeling upset because He didn’t get everything He thought He deserved on the day before. His focus is the present. I think that we often get so wrapped up in planning for the future or feeling upset because something went wrong in the past that we neglect our present circumstances. While the future is important, we can’t get to the future without confronting and making good decisions in the present. God has the power to fill our present needs both physical and spiritual, hence the usage of bread. 

As you can see verse 11 of the Lord’s prayer has many great takeaways for us despite being the shortest line of the prayer. God wants us to make our requests known to Him, which is why He shows us how. It might not be easy, but we can make this switch to being concise, including others, and praying for our present needs. 

Prayer: Lord thank you for this day. Thank you for teaching me that it is ok to come to you with my concerns. Lord please help me in areas that I am weak. Cover those who are less fortunate and those around me who are dealing with situations I know nothing about. I thank you in advance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.