"Then Jesus declared, 'I am
the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry. And whoever
believes in me will never thirst.'" John 6:35
In the culture of Jesus' day, bread
held great significance. A symbol of God's provision, it had a certain sanctity
attached to it. Not only was it food, bread represented ideas, opportunities and
prosperity. In His instruction, "Give us this day our daily
bread..." (Matt. 6:11), Jesus meant more than just asking God for our
next meal. We are to request and expect His divine insights and understanding
to successfully live each day.
Lacking a Wal-Mart
Supercenter
While tested in the wilderness by
Satan, Jesus rebuffed his enemy's temptation:
"Man shall not live by
bread alone..." Matt 4:4.
Getting and having more stuff
doesn't produce genuine happiness and satisfaction. If it could we'd never
clean out our closets and hold garage sales in order to make room for the
latest passing fancy. Without sustenance from The Bread of Life, the accumulation
of wealth and all it can purchase is futile.
Jesus boldly equated Himself with the
'asih which is Arabic for bread and means the life giver. Both Jews
and Gentiles understood what He meant. Using an ordinary object necessary for
daily life, Jesus likened an individual's need for natural bread to their need
for the real Bread of Life. He identified Himself as the Savior they could
depend on.
As the 'aish, Jesus isn't
just bread that sustains life, but He is the very life of God available for all
to partake of. When one eats this bread, they never hunger again.
How about you? How does the term
'the life giver' stack up to your understanding of who God is? What types of
thoughts does the need for a daily dependence on God engender in you? How can
you feast on the Bread of Life and be nourished?
Jesus said," 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."New International Version (NIV)
ReplyDeleteJesus makes my life sweeter and more peaceful. God has been good to me throughout my years. I haven't always wanted to do what He wanted but He helped me see my choices in light of who He is.