The exposition of the Lord’s Prayer in THE SMALL CATECHISM has us praying for the two kinds of things we need; namely, bread and forgiveness.
THE FOURTH PETITION
Give us this day our daily bread.
What does this mean?
God certainly gives daily bread without our prayer, even to all the wicked; but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to acknowledge this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
What is meant by daily bread?
Daily bread includes everything needed for this life, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, fields, cattle, money, goods, God-fearing spouse and children, faithful servants and rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, order, honor, true friends, good neighbors, and the like.
THE FIFTH PETITION
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
What does this mean?
We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor on their account deny our prayer; for we are not worthy of anything we ask, neither have we deserved it. But we pray that He would give us everything by grace, for we daily sin much and deserve nothing but punishment; and we on our part will heartily forgive and readily do good to those who sin against us.
I am struck by the list of “everything needed for this life,” which includes not only food but also family, government, and friends. All of which God gives us without our prayers, though when we pray, we become conscious of God’s provision, see our lives through the lens of faith, and become thankful at the way God gives us “everything by grace.”
