Hungry children lined both sides of the long tables in the orphanage, their bellies growling with hunger. Brightening as their headmaster entered the room, they expected to see him carrying steaming trays of porridge. Instead, he walked in empty-handed. He spoke gently, “Children, will you bow your heads with me and thank the Lord for providing our morning meal?”
Hiding their disappointment and confusion, the children joined George Müller as he prayed to their Heavenly Father, thanking Him for providing their daily bread, even though their pantry was bare. Before they’d said “amen,” a knock at the door interrupted them. It was a local baker offering enough fresh, warm bread to feed all the children. No sooner had the loaves been served than a clatter in the street interrupted them once again. They looked up in surprise as the milkman entered the room wringing his hands. He’d just broken the axel on his cart and, knowing the milk would spoil, he offered to give it to the orphans. A broad smile spread across George’s face; once again the Lord provided for their needs at just the right moment.
George Müller’s incredible faith and trust in God led to many amazing events like this one. He cared for 10,024 orphans during his lifetime and established 117 schools which offered Christian education to more than 120,000 in Bristol, England in the 1800’s. Through all of this, Müller never sought donations from specific individuals. Time and time again He turned to God to provide as he cared for thousands of orphans he found living in the streets.
While I’ve never been in circumstances quite so dire, I’ve experienced the desperation of pleading with God to give me something I needed. I think many of us would agree that asking the Lord for what we want and need often takes center stage in our prayers. Thankfully, we have a good and loving Heavenly Father who invites us to make requests, as Jesus taught in the third statement of the Lord’s Prayer: “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11, NIV)
Requesting daily bread isn’t only about physical provision. It can also refer to asking God to provide for our less-tangible needs. In Matthew 7:7-11 Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
The Lord’s Prayer uses bread as a symbol of God’s provision. This is profound when we consider Jesus’ words in the book of John: “I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:47-51, NIV)
Those listening to Jesus’ teaching would have noted the significance of daily bread by remembering the Father’s provision for His people in the book of Exodus. After fleeing from slavery in Egypt, God provided food for them as they wandered in the wilderness: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.'” (Exodus 16:4 NIV)
God’s provision in the wilderness saved the Jews from physical death during their 40 years of wandering. Similarly, the Father’s provision through Jesus saved us from spiritual death, meeting our greatest need for forgiveness of our sins. Through Christ, the Lord made a way for us to have a restored relationship with Him now and for eternity. (Colossians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; John 20:31).
There’s one key word in the Lord’s Prayer we can’t overlook: “daily.” Just as our bodies were made to need sustenance from food every day, our hearts were made to need daily connection with God. Going to Him consistently reminds us self-sufficiency is only an illusion. Everything we have, including our ability to earn a living, ultimately comes from God. George Müller’s faith and trust in the Father provides an inspiring example for us. Asking the Lord to meet our needs daily keeps us humble, but also enables us to grow in our connection to Him and our dependence upon Him.
One commentary explains,“Yes, God sustains us physically and meets the less tangible needs of this life. More than that, He fulfills our spiritual needs. He is the bread that satisfies our spiritual hunger. He sustains our hearts. When we ask God for our daily bread, we are humbly acknowledging Him as the sole giver of all we need. We are living day by day, one step at a time. We are exercising simple faith in Him to provide just what we need, when we need it – for every area of life.”
If you want to become a person of extraordinary prayer, practice connecting with the Lord daily, just as you would with your closest family members or friends. Start by offering a word of praise and seeking His will. Then, bring your requests before Him humbly and watch expectantly for His answers. Ask the Lord to increase your awareness of His presence. Talk with Him throughout the day and notice where He provides answers to your prayers. Daily connection with God is one of the keys to cultivating a richer, deeper relationship with Him. Will you try it this week and see what happens?
If you’d like some tools to enhance your prayer life, check out my new book, Extraordinary Prayer. You’ll be inspired by the prayers of different biblical characters and can follow their examples using prompts incorporated into each session.
The best place to be is near our Heavenly Father. Let Jordan Feliz’ song “Next to Me” call you back to the Lord daily for prayer.
Commentary quotations from https://www.gotquestions.org/daily-bread.html
Learn more about George Müller and his extraordinary prayer life by clicking here: https://www.georgemuller.org