This past weekend I had the joy of baking bread. Bread making is a very therapeutic activity. You get to pound out frustrations on the dough as you knead it, it has a soft malleable texture which somehow welcomes manipulation. The bread that I was making was for rounding off a meal that was well balanced nutritionally, but lacked pizzazz. Bread, the staple of life, was the answer. Bread fills, it sustains, it is inexpensive but hearty, which is why I suppose bread is called a staple.
I have had some great opportunities to consider the sustenance provided by bread lately. I had spent a bit of time fasting and praying and in the hunger and prayer recalled Jesus saying: “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”. It was a kind of strange verse to recall so vividly when I was praying about something else entirely. So, I did a bit of back tracking and came to the origin of Jesus’ statement which is Deuteronomy 8:3 ff. God provided manna, little wafers of bread, in the wilderness daily to sustain the Israelites. Each day’s supply was for that day only except on Friday when double was to be gathered so that the Sabbath could be honoured. Through this limited and abundant provision God was teaching reliance on Him. He wanted to ensure that it was understood clearly that He was the provider of life both spiritually and physically. He is to be looked to, honoured, feared reverentially in our pursuit of what we deem essential to the sustenance of life.
Jesus also said “I am the bread of life”. Interesting. Do we eat of him? Communion certainly provides that opportunity or image, but I believe Jesus was speaking of something more elementary than communion. Jesus is the Word, he is the light, he is the bread of life and He must be taken in and consumed daily in order for us to obtain spiritual sustenance. Once in a while doesn’t do it. We need Him every day to give us the energy to carry on in strength as a God follower. Jesus and His word is the staple of life, He is the only provision that can fill an empty soul.
I have had some great opportunities to consider the sustenance provided by bread lately. I had spent a bit of time fasting and praying and in the hunger and prayer recalled Jesus saying: “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”. It was a kind of strange verse to recall so vividly when I was praying about something else entirely. So, I did a bit of back tracking and came to the origin of Jesus’ statement which is Deuteronomy 8:3 ff. God provided manna, little wafers of bread, in the wilderness daily to sustain the Israelites. Each day’s supply was for that day only except on Friday when double was to be gathered so that the Sabbath could be honoured. Through this limited and abundant provision God was teaching reliance on Him. He wanted to ensure that it was understood clearly that He was the provider of life both spiritually and physically. He is to be looked to, honoured, feared reverentially in our pursuit of what we deem essential to the sustenance of life.
Jesus also said “I am the bread of life”. Interesting. Do we eat of him? Communion certainly provides that opportunity or image, but I believe Jesus was speaking of something more elementary than communion. Jesus is the Word, he is the light, he is the bread of life and He must be taken in and consumed daily in order for us to obtain spiritual sustenance. Once in a while doesn’t do it. We need Him every day to give us the energy to carry on in strength as a God follower. Jesus and His word is the staple of life, He is the only provision that can fill an empty soul.
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