Give us this day our daily bread

As you can tell from my sidebar, if you've been visiting my blog for very long, I've been reading Luther's Large Catechism for quite a while now. You may not believe this but I'm an avid reader. I can usually devour a book like that in a matter of days. But with school and a new love of blogging, visiting other blogs, and being opinionated on my favorite discussion boards {wink}, I just haven't devoted the time to reading that I normally do.

Today while we were at McDonald's (eating large meals so I could get the cool glasses they're giving away now), I was reading the sections devoted to the Lord's Prayer. (It's amazing how much you can read when your kids are blissfully occupied in a play area.) In light of the election and other "stuff" that's going on now this section of Luther's explanation of the fourth petition stood out.

To put it briefly, this petition includes everything that belongs to our entire life in this world; only for its sake do we need daily bread. Now, our life requires not only food and clothing and other necessities for our body, but also peace and concord in our daily business and in associations of every description with the people among whom we live and move - in short, everything that pertains to the regulation of our domestic and our civil or political affairs. For where these two relations are interfered with and prevented from functioning properly, here the necessities of life are also interfered with, and life itself cannot be maintained for any length of time. Indeed, the greatest need of all is to pray for our civil authorities and the government, for chiefly through them does God provide us our daily bread and all the comforts of this life. Although we have received from God all good things in abundance, we cannot retain any of them or enjoy them in security and happiness unless he gives us a stable, peaceful government. For where dissension, strife, and war prevail, there our daily bread is taken away, or at least reduced.
It would therefore be fitting if the coat-of-arms of every upright prince were emblazoned with a loaf of bread instead of a lion or a wreath or rue, or if a loaf of bread were stamped on coins, to remind both princes and subjects that through the office of the princes we enjoy protection and peace and that without them we could not have the steady blessing of daily bread. Rulers are worthy of all honor, and we should render them the duties we owe and do all we can for them, as to those through whom we enjoy our possessions in peace and quietness, since otherwise we could not keep a penny. Moreover, we should pray for them, that through them God may bestow on us still more blessings and good things...
But especially is this petition directed against our chief enemy, the devil, whose whole purpose and desire it is to take away or interfere with all we have received from God. He is not satisfied to obstruct and overthrow spiritual order, so that he may deceive men with his lies and bring them under his power, but he also prevents and hinders the establishment of any kind of government or honorable and peaceful relations on earth. This is why he causes so much contention, murder, sedition, and war, why he sends tempest and hail to destroy crops and cattle, why he poisons the air, etc. In short, it pains him that anyone receives a morsel of bread from God and eats it in peace. If it were in his power, and our prayer to God did not restrain him, surely we would not have a straw in the field, a penny in the house, or even our life for one hour - especially those of us who have the Word of God and would like to be Christians.

As I was reading this different things in the news kept coming to mind. An election in the States (as well as around the world). Droughts and cyclones. Earthquakes and flooding. When you consider how great are the responsibilities being dumped in the laps of our soon-to-be-elected leaders, you see how important it is to prayerfully consider whom you will choose. It's not just a matter of choosing someone who sees things the way you do (although it's very important), but choosing someone who's competent and capable enough to do the job well. To handle the pressures and strain that come with it and not succumb to their pride when things look they might not be going as planned.

When we see the reports of natural disasters, wars, etc. we need to not lose heart. It's the devil at work and losing heart is exactly what he wants us to do. We need to pray all the more and be more resolved in our hearts that he will not prevail. As one commenter on Jungle Mom's blog put it: I've read the end of the Book and we win. THAT's homeland security.

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/luther/large_cat/files/large_catechism21.htm