against the opposite evils of a false sensuousness which forgets
the spirit that is in the flesh, and of a false spirituality which
forgets the flesh that is around the spirit. He who made us desire truth
in the inward parts, made us also to desire our daily bread, and we
observe His order when we do both, and seek the Kingdom of God, not
exclusively, but first.

And not only is this petition the vindication of a healthy naturalism,
but it also shows us that we may rightly make prayers of our desires for
earthly things.

We sometimes hear it said that we have only a right to ask God for such
gifts as holiness and conformity to His will. This has a truth, a great
truth, in it. But it may be overstrained. We are to subdue our wishes,
we are to be more anxious for our soul's health than for our bodily
wants. We are to present our desires concerning all things in this life,
with an implied 'if it be Thy will,' but while all that is true, we are
also to ask Him for these lower blessings. Our prayers should include
all which we desire, all which we need. Our desires should be such as we
can turn into prayers. If we dare not ask God for a thing, do not let us
seek for it. But whatever we do want, let us go to Him for it, and be
sure that He does not wish lip homage and fine-sounding petitions for
things for which we do not really care, but that He does desire that we
should be frank with Him, making a prayer of every wish, and seeing that
we have neither wishes which we dare not make prayers, nor prayers which
are not really wishes. Let our supplications cover all the ground of our
daily wants, and be true to our own souls. If any man lack anything, let
him ask of God, who giveth to all men life and breath and all things.

Then still further--the prayer is the recognition of God as the Giver of
daily bread.

'Thou openest Thine hand,' says the old psalm, 'and satisfiest the
desire of every living thing.' There is no part of the divine dealings
of which the Bible speaks more frequently and more lovingly than His
supply of all creatures' wants. It is a grand thought, 'Who feedeth the
young ravens when they cry, who maketh the grass to grow on the
mountains. The eyes of all wait upon Thee.' There is a magnificent verse
in the 104th Psalm, which regards even the roar of the lion prowling for
its prey in midnight forests as a cry to God--'The young lions seek
their meat from God.' As Luther says somewhere in his rough prose--'Ev