NIGERIA: A Nation Lacking Doiritual Bread?
By Jerry Adesewo,
There is a growing hunger in Nigeria. Not just for food or justice, but for something far deeper. It is a hunger of the soul, a longing for divine nourishment in a society that is increasingly starved of spiritual depth. While cathedrals multiply and ministries abound, something is missing at the very centre of our spiritual lives. We are a people craving bread, yet ignoring the bakery.
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The Lord’s Prayer is one of the most familiar passages in Scripture. Yet for many believers, it has become something recited out of habit, not revelation. We mutter it in moments of tradition or transition—at weddings, funerals, school assemblies, or church services—but often without truly feeding on its content. In doing so, we forfeit one of the greatest gifts Christ gave us: a pattern of communion that nourishes the spirit and aligns the soul with heaven.
A Nation Running on Empty
Nigeria today is a paradox. We are among the most religious nations on earth, but one of the least transformed. Our airwaves are filled with prophecies and revivals, our Sundays bloated with services and sermons, but the character of our nation is far from the righteousness we proclaim. We pray for breakthroughs and blessings, but ignore the daily intimacy that forms true disciples. We cry out for national transformation, while personal altars lie cold and unattended.
The missing ingredient is not a new revelation or a charismatic leader. It is daily bread—a return to sustained, Spirit-led communion with the Father through the prayer Jesus taught us.
When Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread”, He wasn’t speaking merely of physical provision. He was pointing to the spiritual sustenance we need daily to live holy, fruitful lives. That sustenance is found not just in food or finances, but in forgiveness, in kingdom alignment, in freedom from temptation and evil, and in a deep awareness of our Father’s nearness.
Many of us have learned to quote Scripture, but not to chew it. We attend church services without meeting Christ. We tithe, sing, serve—yet feel dry, angry, anxious, or empty. Why? Because the Christian life cannot run on weekly petrol. It needs daily oil.
What the Lord’s Prayer Truly Offers
This prayer is more than a liturgy; it is a strategy for living. Each phrase is loaded with purpose:
“Our Father” roots us in identity—not as isolated souls, but as family, united in divine relationship.
“Thy kingdom come” redirects our ambition—not toward personal empires, but God’s reign over our lives, churches, and nations.
“Give us this day our daily bread” reminds us that God desires dependence—not hoarded blessings, but fresh manna every morning.
“Forgive us our trespasses” calls us to live in grace—and to extend it to others in humility and truth.
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” brings our spiritual warfare into divine perspective. It is a plea not to be self-sufficient, but Spirit-led and protected.
Yet, in many circles today, this prayer is neglected—treated as spiritual baby food for Sunday school children. But the truth is, even the most seasoned believer cannot outgrow the Lord’s Prayer. It is timeless, powerful, and perfectly suited for our complex times.
A Daily Discipline for a Spiritually Starved Church
In Nigeria, we have built impressive churches but neglected personal altars. We’ve substituted prophetic declarations for sustained intercession. We’ve emphasised financial prosperity over spiritual formation. As a result, many Christians appear strong publicly, but are weak privately. We chase success without surrender, fame without formation, blessing without brokenness.
Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer not as a chant, but as a framework for daily communion—one that centres the heart, aligns the will, and renews the soul.
It is time we returned to that discipline. Not because it is fashionable, but because it is essential. Not because it is poetic, but because it is powerful.
So What Can We Do?
Here’s how we return to the place of daily bread:
1. Pray the Lord’s Prayer daily—slowly and thoughtfully. Let it guide you. Don’t rush through it. Linger on the words and let them shape your heart.
2. Let each phrase become a doorway. Ask yourself: What does “Father” mean to me today? Where do I need His kingdom to come—in my family, job, or mindset?
3. Use the prayer as a mirror. Are you forgiving others as God forgives you? Are you trusting Him for provision, or manipulating outcomes?
4. Make it a conversation, not a formula. Jesus never meant for prayer to be performance. He intended it to be participation in God’s heart and purpose.
5. Pray as if your life depends on it—because it does. In a world where temptation is constant and evil is cunning, we need God’s deliverance more than ever.
From Knowledge to Nourishment
A prayer only becomes powerful when it is lived. To quote the Lord’s Prayer is one thing; to embody it is another. We cannot expect miracles if we ignore the method Jesus prescribed. We cannot live on stale bread from yesterday’s service. We need fresh encounters.
In John 6:35, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry.” This is the heart of the matter. The prayer is not just about words—it’s about Jesus Himself. He is our Bread. And when we pray in the pattern He gave, we feast on His life, His peace, His wisdom, His strength.
A Final Reflection
Nigeria does not lack religion. But we are starving for righteousness, justice, and truth. And only a praying church, one nourished daily by heaven—can bring such transformation.
So when next you say, “Give us this day our daily bread,” understand what you’re asking. You’re asking for Jesus. For truth. For grace. For the kingdom to break into your world. For strength to forgive, and power to resist the enemy.
Let us not merely recite the prayer. Let us return to it. Rediscover it. Rebuild our lives around it. And as we do, may our homes, churches, and nation be filled once again—not with empty religion, but with living bread from heaven.
Endnote:
When next you have to recite the ‘Lord’s Prayer’, dont be so much in a hurry as I often see us do. Take slowly and meditatively, and with as much reapect as we accord the national anthems of nations.
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