CD - The Fourth Petition - Psalm 145:15-16

Have you ever noticed that when you take part in getting a meal ready that it seems to taste so much better? It appears that when we put out an effort, when we “work” for something, it seems to be so much more rewarding. What about daily bread? We know that daily bread means more than just the bread we eat. It means more than just food. Daily bread means all that we need in life. Paul reminds us that “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). But we also know that God rains down on the just and the unjust. And we know that heaven is a free gift, neither earned nor deserved. How do we sort all this out?

We begin by reminding ourselves that God gives. God gives life at conception. He gives new life and faith at Baptism. He gives strengthening of faith and keeps us in faith through the means of grace. He gives us the ability to work, a job to work, a way to earn money to use to pay for food, clothing, house and all the other needs of life. There is nothing that we have that we cannot trace back to first coming from God (except perhaps sin). God gives and we are given to. And yes, God gives to the just and to the unjust. Remember, all people are God’s people in that He is the Creator of all. God loves all people, so much that He gave the life of His Son for all people. And, up until the time of a person’s day of judgement, there is hope that the unjust may come to faith.

Paul’s reminder of working and eating is just that, a reminder that we are not to be idle, or busybodies, but we are to be busy doing the work that we need to do. That does not mean that we are to work for things spiritual, although we are also told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Those are words of sanctification, not justification. We do work on our sanctification, but only as the Lord moves us to, works through us, and does our work to His glory. We are to “work” for our daily bread doing whatever job we are assigned in whatever vocation we serve. If you are a student, your work is to study. If you are a laborer, your job is to labor. If you are an administrator, your job is to administrate. We are to do our work as is we are working for the Lord, because He is our ultimate employer and He is the one who gives us all that we need, not that our work in any way earns what He is giving.

Now we get to the point of grace. Grace is God’s undeserved love for us, so much that He gave the life of His Son for us. We do not earn Jesus’ death. He gave His life freely. Our justification, our being made just and right in God’s eyes is an accomplished fact. We do good works, we are good stewards because of all that God has done for us, in response to what God has given to us, as He stirs in us. We love, we give, we work, because God first loves us and He moves and stirs in us to love, give and work.

All this brings us to our previous conclusion, and the explanation that Luther gives. Why do we bother praying this petition? To remind us that all things come from our gracious heavenly Father, to give Him thanks and to keep our faith where it belongs. “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest and let these Your gifts to us be blessed. Amen.”

Our Father in heaven, forgive me when I think that I have in any way earned or deserved the many gifts and blessings You have given me, life, faith, forgiveness, heaven, food, clothing, meat, drink, house, family and many gifts of which I am unaware. Thank you for all that You have given to me and continue to give to me. May Your name be praised. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.