Thought for the week

I love reading the Bible. I can read or hear something for the 100th time and yet something can jump out and it feels like I’m reading or hearing it for the first time.

At the beginning of the lock down period I revisited ‘The Lord’s Prayer.’

Around the same time I received a sour dough starter for making my own bread.

It is the first time I have made sour dough and I underestimated just how long it takes to prove the dough. After a couple of mistakes, it took 21 hours of preparation.

The final bread was very tasty and I marked the occasion with a nice strong cheese but the experience made me reflect on the phrase ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’

I’ve always thought this verse simply means that I should be thankful for the food that God provides.

But the sour dough experience helped me to consider my part in this provision of my “Daily Bread”.

I also began thinking about all those involved in the sowing, reaping and creation of the ingredients of my daily bread.

As I reflected on those words I began to become really thankful for the farmers, lorry drivers, shopworkers and everybody else connected with me receiving my daily bread.

I began thinking about how I meet the needs in the lives of others. The pandemic has become an opportunity for us all to demonstrate our thanks to the keyworkers that are keeping this country going during a difficult time.

I pray that it also becomes a time that we fully appreciate our interconnectedness and that we become truly thankful for the keyworkers involved in giving us this day, our daily bread.

Phil Lord