General Superintendent
Max Edwards
28, 2025
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
(Adapted from Matthew 6:9-13, and Luke 11:1-4)
“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
“Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? ~ Luke 12:24
“Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” ~ Matthew 18:21-22
The first words of the Lord’s prayer do properly focus us heavenward! We look up, and cry out, “Our Father in heaven … Thy name … Thy kingdom … Thy will.”
The middle section definitely hosts a redirected attention. Please note the pronouns: Our / our / us / us / us We are indeed needy, and the assurance we receive in these lines is powerful. We are repetitively hungry, and the Lord knows that. He designed us to experience hunger over and again, and so we pray for daily bread. We do not pray this with the notion that he might forget if we do not constantly remind him. No, we pray for daily bread, training our own minds to trust in God’s unwavering watch care. In St. Luke’s gospel, the Lord’s prayer is given in chapter 11, and in chapter 12, Jesus explains that the birds don’t make storehouses of grain for tomorrow’s meals. Amazing. We pray for daily bread … daily provision … daily supply. Daily, daily, daily.
And if our need for food is daily, we also need to humbly recognize that seeking forgiveness isn’t a one-time pursuit. In our humanity, we often stumble and wander into anger, envy, jealousy, slander, gossip, and hatred. We assume the worst of others, and the best of ourselves. Some of us are, at times, victimized by the actions of others, and instead of being filled with a pure desire for justice, we tend to want retribution and revenge.
We need daily cleansing, just as we need daily food. Praying earnestly through the Lord’s Prayer, and seeking forgiveness routinely can help us keep short lists, rooting out bitterness before it has a chance to ferment.