Give Us This Day...

The celebration of New Year's was different for many due to the pandemic. Some gathered in small groups with loved ones; others made phone calls to family and friends or met virtually on Zoom. However celebrated, one thing was likely foremost in our thoughts: what will the next twelve months bring, and will this new year be better than the last? (hopefully so).   
  
When the new year would come, my mother would say, "It’s time to turn over a new leaf.” That is precisely what I’d planned to do. I was good about keeping up with daily prayers, but wanted to start with a clean slate.       

As I awoke on New Year's Day, I said my morning prayers, which always included the Lord's Prayer. As I recited the prayer, when I got to "Give us this day our daily bread," the words "this day" caught my attention. It seemed odd. I'd recited the prayer all of my life but had never really given a lot of thought to this part of it.  

"Give us this day our daily bread" is a request asking God for sustenance for now. Calling my attention to “this day” was a gentle reminder to focus on the day at hand—instead of worrying about tomorrow, next week, next month, or the year to come.

God's got this. He hears each of our prayers, and He wants us to trust Him in all things.

New Year's resolutions? They're hard to keep, but a daily prayer is a simple thing to do. 
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May the prayer that Jesus taught be a source of hope and sustenance for you in this New Year--every day! 
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The Lord's Prayer: Matthew 6:9-13 

Our Father, Who Art in Heaven, 
Hallowed by Thy Name, 
Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done,
On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us This Day Our Daily Bread,
And Forgive us Our Trespasses,
As we Forgive Those Who Trespass Against us,
And Lead us Not Into Temptation,
But Deliver us From Evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory,
Forever and Ever. Amen.

 
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