Take note of how Jesus directs His disciples in the Lord’s Prayer to pray for “daily bread.” He didn’t instruct them to pray for yearly, monthly, or even weekly bread, but daily bread. Each day they were to come to the Father and present their requests for the very day they were in. The One they could trust would provide. We think back to the Old Testament when the Israelites were given manna in the wilderness, exactly enough for the day ahead.

By telling us to pray for today, Jesus prevents us from tormenting ourselves about tomorrow. Our needs for today may indeed be great, but we can present them “with thanksgiving,” as Paul says, to the great Provider.

Do you need healing from sickness, peace to replace anxiety, wisdom for a hard choice, or courage to do what is right? Put all your daily requests before Jesus. He’s what you need more than anything! He was born in Bethlehem, the “house of bread,” and He has bid us come to Him saying, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry” (John 6:35).