Every Word a Lesson

When Jesus showed his disciples how to pray, he began His "model prayer" with the amazing recognition that the same God with whom we can have a personal relationship -- "Our Father" -- is also praiseworthy as the Creator of the Universe -- "hallowed be Thy name" -- and then recognized God's sovereignty over every aspect of our lives -- "Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done...". (Emphasis here, and throughout, the Colonel's)

Jesus then followed those most weighty and profound words with what at first glance seems the most simple and mundane request:

    "Give us today our daily bread."  Matthew 6:11

If you are like the Colonel, you have probably taken those six words all too lightly.  Their simplicity has caused him to give them scant attention.  The Colonel will admit he ain't smart and you can't make him -- it often takes someone drawing a picture for him to get the point.  

In his exhaustive verse by verse Bible commentary first published early in the 18th Century, Matthew Henry expounded on the meaning of Jesus' simple verse on Divine Providence in His model prayer:

"...after the things of God's glory, kingdom, and will, we pray for the needful supports and comforts of this present life.  Every word here has a lesson in it."

"We ask for bread; that teaches us sobriety and temperance; and we ask only for bread; not for what we do not need."

"We ask for our bread; that teaches us honesty and industry.  We do not ask for the bread of others, nor the bread of deceit; nor the bread of idleness; but the bread honestly gotten."

"We ask for our daily bread; which teaches us constantly to depend upon Divine Providence."

"We beg of God to give it to us; not sell it us; nor lend it us; but give it.  The greatest of men must be beholden to the mercy of God for their daily bread."

"We pray, give it to us.  This teaches us a compassion for the poor.  Also that we ought to pray with our families."

We pray that God would give us this day; which teaches us t renew the desires of our souls toward God, as the wants of our bodies are renewed."

That God inspired Mr. Henry to pen these words more than three centuries ago to expound on a lesson given two millennia ago proves the Colonel's belief that there is truly nothing new under the sun and that the truth in God's Word remains rock solid and unassailable age to age.

The Colonel is convinced, without a shadow of doubt in his military mind, that as Jesus spoke the Aramaic words, "Hawvlan lachma d'sunqanan yaomana," (translated to Greek and then into modern English as "Give us today our daily bread") He did so fully cognizant of His God-given place as the "Bread of Life" -- a term by which He referred to Himself.  Jesus knew He was God's ultimate provision. 

Now, he ain't no Aramaic scholar, but the Colonel is capable enough on a computer to do a bit of research -- and looky here what he found:  The rich, chock-full - of - meaning, Aramaic words Jesus spoke, that were written down in the commercial language of the time (Greek) and later translated into very one-dimensional English...,  well, they also carry a connotation of spiritual wisdom.  

Jesus' taught his disciples; and by extension, us; that our Creator Father not only was (is) the source of every material need, but every spiritual need as well.  The Father's spiritual wisdom is ours for the asking.     

The Colonel's prayer this week is that he will be daily reminded of the greatness of God and His provision of all he needs both physically and spiritually on a daily basis.