THE FOURTH PETITION
Give us this day our daily bread.
What does this mean?
God surely gives daily bread without our asking, even to all the wicked, but
we pray in this petition that he would lead us to realize this and to receive
our daily bread with thanksgiving.
What, then, is meant by daily bread?
Daily bread includes everything that we need for our bodily welfare, such as
food and drink, clothing and shoes, house and home, land and cattle, money
and goods, a godly spouse, godly children, godly workers, godly and faithful
leaders, good government, good weather, peace and order, health, a good
name, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.
LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM
THE FOURTH PETITION
Give us this day our daily bread.
What does this mean?
God surely gives daily bread without our asking, even to all the wicked, but
we pray in this petition that he would lead us to realize this and to receive
our daily bread with thanksgiving.
What, then, is meant by daily bread?
Daily bread includes everything that we need for our bodily welfare, such as
food and drink, clothing and shoes, house and home, land and cattle, money
and goods, a godly spouse, godly children, godly workers, godly and faithful
leaders, good government, good weather, peace and order, health, a good
name, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.
1. Gather the entire family together for five to fifteen minutes.
Perhaps before/after a meal or before leaving the house in the
morning or before bed at night.
2. Recite the Petition. You might have to read it at first or say it
and let younger ones repeat it. Say it multiple times together
each day. Ask each member of the family to say it each day.
You will soon know the petition by memory.
3. Read one of the Bible readings from the bulletin or watch the
sermon again online. Use the outline on the other side of this
sheet to discuss.
4. Ask each member of the family to say a thank you, forgive me
and/or help me prayer. After saying the Lord’s Prayer together,
conclude by blessing each other.
1. Six of the seven petitions in the Lord’s Prayer ask for spiritual
blessings. This petition alone requests earthly blessings. What
guidance does this offer about the content of our prayers?
2. Daily bread includes everything that we need for daily life.
Make a list of earthly blessings that you need to live here on
the earth day by day.
3. Why is it often difficult to remember the difference between
what we truly need and what we want?
4. How does praying for daily bread help us not to worry? How
does it help us to remember to thank God?
Read one of the Bible readings from the bulletin and discuss:
1. What does God want us to learn?
(make a list of as many things as you can)
2. How does this lead you to praise and thank God?
3. What sin does this lead you to confess?
4. What do you want to ask God help you believe and/or do?
Each person prays a Praise/Thank, Forgive and/or Help me prayer.
Pray the Lord’s Prayer together.
Bless one another, making the sign of the cross on each other’s
forehead:
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
The LORD look on you with favor and give you peace. Amen.