Our Daily Bread

This is another piece of automatic writing given to the schoolmaster and wife, from which I quoted the other day. Lionel

In our prayers we ask the great Supreme and Good to give us this day our daily bread. It is often said, but I am afraid it is often done so thoughtlessly, not fully realising its significance and not comprehending its full meaning.

By this prayer we acknowledge our indebtedness and dependence on God, and admit that we need food for the body but do not so readily admit of the necessity of food for the mind and soul, although they are the more important parts of the human being that need food.

God has made ample provision for satisfying all our needs, bodily, mentally and spiritually, but has demanded from us that we shall desire this food and strive in order to obtain it, fully knowing that whatever is obtained with difficulty is the more valued and appreciated.

Man needs little urging to partake of food for the body. He likes it and necessity compels him to get it. Unfortunately he is often a glutton, to his own injury and even death. He needs instruction in temperance and moderation, and should understand that he eats to live and does not live to eat.

Food for the mind is needed for all intelligent, thoughtful individuals, and plenty of scope is found in that direction in nature. Just think for a moment what he can learn in the sciences, in the arts and in literature and the history of man.

Probably the most distasteful food to man is spiritual food. He rarely thinks it necessary to life and welfare on earth, and so neglects it and frequently scorns the idea of giving it a thought.

By conduct like this he alienates himself from God, light, truth and love. He neglects all that could and would lift him from the sordid and material to the ethereal and divine.

We should realise the relative values of these our daily foods and should on no account forget to ask for and strive to obtain the Bread of Life sent down from heaven. It is ours for the asking and the seeking, therefore, seek and find.