life; such as food, raiment, money, goods, house and land, and other
property; a believing spouse and good children; trustworthy servants and
faithful magistrates; favorable seasons, peace and health; education and
honor; true friends, good neighbors, and the like.

* * * * *

In this Petition we acknowledge that every good gift comes from God;
[Jas. 1:17] and we pray that He would give us, day by day, those things
which we need for our earthly support and comfort, and would make us
content and thankful.

THE PETITION ITSELF.

While we are to pray first and chiefly for spiritual blessings, the
Saviour here teaches us that we may and should pray for temporal
benefits also.

GIVE. By praying God to _give_ us our daily bread, we acknowledge that
it comes from Him.[9] He is the absolute owner of all things, [I Cor.
10:26] and divides to all men as He will. All that we have is His gift.
He gives it as a blessing upon our labor; hence, we must work as well as
pray. [II Thess. 3:10] But without His blessing, our labor would be in
vain. [Ps. 127:1] The farmer sows, but God gives the increase.

[Footnote 9: Compare this Petition with the First Article of the Creed
and its Explanation.]

US. We are taught to pray not only for ourselves, but for others also.
We should be concerned that they too may have their daily bread; and,