Only after God has been honored does the prayer of Matthew 6 turn to our needs.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:11-13).
Appreciation for the Father continues as we express our reliance on Him. Rich people may not see a reason to ask for “daily bread.” They have plenty of money in the bank and plenty of food in the pantry, so why ask for what they’ve already got? Because, rich or poor, we are all dependent on God, even for needs as basic as today’s food.
We also depend on God for our spiritual needs such as forgiveness and protection. Of course, many other requests can and should be added (Philippians 4:6).
As we have seen, we should be specific, placing our praises and concerns into the caring hands of God (2 Peter 5:7). But in this simple model, Jesus is helping us with perspective. God comes first. Our needs come second. And we don’t have to be impressive.
As we place our requests before Him, we remember the truth just stated: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). It is not my role to inform God of new information. Nor is it my place to convince God that my viewpoint is the correct one. There is no need to fret and worry (Matthew 6:25-34). Rather, we bring our praise and our requests with the keen realization that every day our lives depend entirely on God.