John 6:35
I am baking bread. I enjoy the process though sometimes I become very tired because it is tedious work. Today I am making whole wheat bread and sweet rolls. It is always amazing to me how a little yeast, some salt, water, and flour (and a few other things) can create such a wonderful aroma and taste! But the time and effort are worth every minute I spend.
The idea of bread is prevalent in the Bible. The people in the wilderness are given “manna” or bread from heaven when they are hungry. Jesus feeds the crowds with bread and an abundance of bread is left over. Jesus uses bread to represent his own body given for us at the Last Supper. Jesus brings the disciples bread when he meets them upon the shores of Galilee after his resurrection. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.” Bread, bread, bread!
If you think about it, bread is the very source of life. Without bread, we will perish—bread represents food that sustains us. But there are more than just the physical qualities of bread.
Consider this, we are much like combining flour and water together. If you have tried this, it becomes paste and has limited use. But add a bit of yeast (the power of God’s Spirit within you) and you have the beginnings of something good. Then add some salt (spice of life) and knead it all together. Kneading is hard work. It takes time, and you just can’t stop half-way through. Give it plenty of time to rise and bake it until golden brown. But with perseverance, something good and tangible comes about.
To grow from raw ingredients of being human into a Christian who puts themselves in the presence of Jesus, the Bread of Life” is an awesome adventure. I pray that you will join me in forming and reforming life into something good and useful for yourself. It takes time, discipline, prayer, and perseverance, but the rewards are great. May we be the bread that feeds others, the bread that radiates with the aroma of hope and life, the bread that reflects Jesus, the Bread of Life.
Prayer: You are the Bread of Life, Jesus. Mold me into a person who follows your example. Amen