Matthew 4:4  Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
 

Round one to Jesus! As He would in rounds two and three of those wilderness temptations, Jesus pins His wicked and wily for to the mat. He does so with the Word of God. Jesus does not belittle the need for physical bread. After forty days without food, He knew that need very well. But bread "alone" will not suffice. We also need "every word" that comes from God.

Luther does not belittle the need for physical bread when it comes to his explanation of the Fourth Petition. Indeed, his list of what that includes challenges our memorization skills! In this petition, we pray for these things and we acknowledge their source, our heavenly Father.

But the Fourth Petition also reminds us of our Father's greatest blessing, the bread of life. Jesus is "the living bread that came down from heaven" (John 6:51). He came down pure and unspoiled. Then He "went bad." God placed the sin that spoils us on Him. Jesus suffered the wrath of God so we never have to. Through faith in this resurrected and living bread, we have new life. We have forgiveness. We live covered by His purity.

Continue to pray for daily bread and thankfully enjoy God's blessings. But also pray, "Give us this day Jesus." We need this bread to strengthen our faith, to turn our will to His, and to give us hope in the midst of life's many struggles.

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