Give us today our daily bread. Matthew 6:11 (NIV)
What’s not to love about bread? Even the gluten free/dairy free variety I have to eat is pretty good. Soft or crunchy. Warm or room temperature waiting on the counter for me to devour. Sweet or savory. Plain or fully loaded with yummy goodness.
In many cultures, bread of some sort is a staple at the table. Tortillas, French bread, pancakes, crumpets, rye, sourdough, naan – the list is making me hungry. When we lived in Guatemala, every single evening little children would walk up and down our apartment complex crying out, "Tortillas, Las tortillas." And we would open our door and purchase the little ones indigenous to this region. So, so good.
Bread is, well, daily bread. It is sustenance, necessary and inviting.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 (NIV)
Jesus is daily bread. He declared it as so. He is our life-giving sustenance for living and with Him we will not know hunger. We can feast on Him – meaning we can read His Word, spend time in prayer and meditation and just be in His presence. Feasting on Him is lingering at His smorgasbord and tasting everything and calling it good because He is good.
I will admit there are times when a bakery truck pulls up and off-loads racks of bread; and there are times when it’s only by the slice. It is however, still daily bread. And there have been times when God not only provides the loaves and slices, He provides dessert – because He can. (One of our trips to Hawaii was dessert, and it was a wonderful way to celebrate our 30th anniversary, complete with vow renewal at sunrise on the Waikiki beach in Hawaiian.)
I love looking for God’s provisions in my life and not just of the literal food variety, although this is very important.
Areas of His daily bread:
Peace. Rest. His Presence. Family. Dear friends. A job to do. A place to go. A farmhouse. A hug. Understanding. Acknowledgement. Joy. A sunset and a sunrise. Life.
The world dishes up stale sour stuff. Something I would not even stoop to call bread. It passes out judgment, lies, cooperate ladders, fashion magazine pages filled with pain for not measuring up. It looks so good, but at first bite it is bitter. It does not satisfy nor can it sustain life, let alone abundantly.
In my current season of life, I am in need of daily grace, comfort and insight. Having encountered some very difficult and challenging times, my heart is resting in the knowledge God has me covered and supplied. Many times this past month I was looking for a slice of plain bread, and instead I found chocolate cake. Or, on the flip side, I was wanting things the old way, when God was showing me a new one and the trail was lined with slices of bread.
My job was to pick up and feast on what He sent and is still sending. I am a gatherer of Jesus Himself as He is my daily bread. I must meet with Him daily to keep my heart on track and my eyes focused otherwise I end up in the cafeteria line completely missing the food because I get so distracted with everything else in the noisy gym.
I have to lead my heart in the things of God and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). I have to pick up the manna He has sent for the day and offer thanks as Jesus did. I have to stop looking at someone else’s table and look at my own with daily bread meant for me.
God knows what I need and how, when and where I need it. Some days I am overly hungry so there will be more love and grace. Other days, one bite will be enough to satisfy. The point is, Jesus is enough. No matter my need for the moment, He is enough, ample, and never in short supply.
This brings me great comfort. To know my needs are constantly before the Father and He supplies specifically for me. What great care, compassion and love.
Yes, LORD, I am thankful.
Thank You for seeing me and meeting my every need, daily.
PRAYER
Father, I thank You for Your daily bread - JESUS. He is everything I need. He's amazing, and satisfying. He brings me so much comfort. And I thank You for never changing and for being faithful, throughout all generations. May I daily search for You in Scripture so I know the Truth. In Jesus's Name, AMEN.
Praise the Lord!