Safina Stewart reflects on 'Give us today our daily bread, contemplating God’s complete provision - how all of our needs, not just our daily bread, are met in him.
A transcript of Safina Stewart's reflection can be downloaded here.
As Jesus teaches his disciples to pray ‘give us today our daily bread’ He reminds us of the many good gifts given to us, daily, by our Creator God. Gifts given to sustain, nourish, and heal us. As Wuthithi and Mabuiag Island woman Safina Stewart reminds us today, these are gifts provided to all of us - to all peoples and all creation for “their fullest flourishing beauty”. Safina also draws our focus to this prayer being a call to contentment and trust in God’s provision of our daily bread - “God is enough, and there is enough. It's a prayer for me to continue to trust. It's a prayer that reminds me that God is here for us in our deepest longings and our deepest need.”
Read: Psalm 104:14-15, Matthew 4:1-4, Matthew 6:25-34 and 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Reflect: What do these passages tell us about God’s provision?
How do these texts enrich our understanding of the request to ‘Give us today our daily bread’?
Is there a particular relationship, corner of your heart or circumstance in your life that your are needing a need met, yet finding it hard to trust God with?
Pray: Join us in prayer today, led by Isabel O’Keeffe
Father, give us today our daily damper and seed cakes—all that we need to sustain us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
May we remember the plural pronouns (“us” and “our”) in this prayer Jesus taught us and pray it with and for each other.
May we pray together with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters—and all peoples facing injustice and discrimination—for justice, truth, and healing.
May we be strengthened by your Spirit to bring all our requests to you, trusting in you and your loving provision for us and for all of creation.
Amen.
Act: How can you share what you have been provided with by God, to help sustain, nurture and heal others in your community? What ‘need for provision’ would you like to entrust to God right now?
Safina Stewart is a proud Wuthithi and Mabuiag Island woman who grew up cross-culturally in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Safina is passionate about culture, education, the arts, justice and faith and is Common Grace's Relationship and Story Telling Coordinator.
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Safina Stewart reflects on 'Give us today our daily bread, contemplating God’s complete provision - how all of our needs, not just our daily bread, are met in him.