The Bread of Life

Do you know what it’s like to be starving all the time?

I bet you are starving right now, and you don’t even know it!

I’m not talking about physical food- we usually have plenty of that. I’m talking about spiritual food.

Most of us walk around day in and day out starving spiritually. Oh, you may go to church once or twice a week or month, hear a sermon, or read an exert from a devotional, but the rest of the time you are not feeding your spirit adequately. And when you do feed your spirit, its with junk food….tv, movies, social media, etc etc etc….Not everybody, but a lot of us!

Have you ever eaten a diet of not real food like french fries, hamburgers, and processed food? And then changed your diet to healthy protein, fruits and veggies? And then you went back to the fake food? What happened? You ate stuff- you put stuff in your body….but it didn’t nourish you! You weren’t satisfied. So you went back to the real food (hopefully).

That’s what it’s like when we read the Bible- The Bread of Life.

I love the Bible!! I remember when I began to read my Bible as an adult, and the verses jumped out at me. The words became life to me.  Still, I’ve struggled often with reading my Bible regularly. When I did read it, I could feel the truth seeping into my spirit like a gentle rain soaking dry ground. Sadly, I would let too much time pass before I was starving again.

Sometimes, I would study the Bible for a certain topic, to teach a class, or prepare a talk. It would feel so good to study like buttering warm bread straight from the oven, the words would melt in my mouth. But life was so busy, I would usually study when I needed the Bible for a specific purpose. Still, the nourishment was not often enough. (During this time, I’m specifically talking about when I was caring for young children. If you are in a season of caring for small children, read when you can and give yourself some grace. He understands.)

In the past couple of years, I’m trying to get more regular with my spiritual diet (because the kids are older) and with the help of websites and apps, I would have a bible reading plan on my desktop at work. When I had a minute, I would read a passage or two. Sometimes I would even try to read and re-read the same passage all day. The nourishment trickled in like bite-sized gummi bear vitamins:)

Last fall for my 40th birthday, my husband bought me a new, leather-bound Bible. I haven’t had a new Bible in several years, and it was just what I wanted. I have to tell you since I’ve had my new Bible, it has felt so good to turn the pages and read the words straight from the crisp, thin, silver-edged pages. Again when I read the words, it’s like truth seeping into my spirit. I feel satiated and satisfied when I read it.

Hear me….. listening to sermons and doing studies from our favorite authors and getting devotional doses of the Word..all of that is Awesome!! I’m not knocking any of it. All of those “meals” are excellent ways to get nourished. We need a variety to keep from getting in a rut. Oh! but feasting on the simple, yet satisfying Word of God! There’s nothing better!!

When was the last time you had a good meal? When was the last time you feasted on the Bread of Life?

Oh, sweet friend…..Taste……. and see that the Lord is good!

~Amy