God teaches us about what he wants in many ways, and one of the most significant is the instruction he gives us in prayer. We have mentioned the Lord’s Prayer, in which he teaches us to ask or “petition” him for things. He wants us to ask for his kingdom to come and his will to be done. But he also wants us to know that he cares about the provision of our “daily bread,” or physical needs. And not just that, he cares about our spiritual needs too: the forgiveness we need from him and from others, the reconciliation we need from him and from others. God loves us and so he wants all this and more for us.
Jordan Ballor, born in Los Angeles, is a scholar at the Acton Institute. His favorite movie is Elf, he has a dog named Juno, his favorite smell is coffee, his first job was at at a golf club as a caddy, and when not engaged in academic rigor he enjoys watching and playing sports.
