The Unclaimed Gift: His Bread Of Life

John 6:35”Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

The third day of our adventure dawned with a sparkling frost laying like a blanket thrown down on the field in front of our cabin. My breath swirled in clouds around me as I started a fire and put on the coffee. Sweetheart was a lump under the quilt in the cabin as he is not a fan of cold weather.

I was entertained by silly dog on my trip up to the bath house. The sights and scents of this new environment had her nose on overdrive. She could barely contain her excitement over each new discovery. She wailed her unhappiness at being tied outside the building as pets are not allowed inside. It is hard to make her understand that the world does not revolve around her.

The smell of coffee and baking biscuits greeted me back at the campsite. Steaming mug in hand, I sat to watch the sunrise over the water. The crowds of weekend campers were gone, leaving the sounds of nature as our morning wake up call. As the fire crackled and popped, warming the air around me, I poured my heart into my prayer journal, thankful for this quiet time with my Abba.

I don’t know about you but when I am camping, I become acutely aware of how little I need to get by. As much as I love my expensive Kuerig, my five dollar percolator makes a superb cup of coffee. My double ovens allow me to cook an elaborate meal but this dutch oven is less work and incredibly energy efficient. My double refrigerator is stocked so full of items that I often have to throw some away because they get buried in the back. The camping cooler holds only enough food for a couple of days giving rise to better planning, smaller meals, and eating of leftovers.

When sweetheart uncovered the biscuits, my mouth watered with anticipation. Smothered in gravy or dripping with real butter mixed with honey, there is nothing better. The simple meal of bread and coffee was more filling than any extensive buffet.

After breakfast, the words of Christ filled my heart with awe. I think I need so much but He points out that I just need Him. All my needs will be met(Philippians 4:19), all my requests will heard (Psalm 27:7). From the beginning of recorded scripture, God always has provided man with the bread of life, whether it is manna from Heaven or the body of His own Son as a sacrifice for our sins. In the gospel of John, Christ fed thousands with just a few loaves of bread.

As we move through these last 25 days of Lent (you didn’t forget did you?), it is important to sit down at His Table every day. There is a gift lying by our plate, given to us by a loving Father in Heaven. We need only turn the pages of the gift to receive the glorious buffet that will fill up our souls. The devotions I write, the books I buy, the sermons I listen to are of little value if I push aside the Bread of Life in favor of a worldly meal. Will you sit down with Him today and let Him fill you up with His Love?

Dearest Father God, we come before You in humble gratitude for all that we are blessed with. We know that You have given us so much, yet we are often so unworthy. Thank You for the gift of Your Son, who died that we might live with You again. Remind us daily that Your love and mercy are all we need. Even in our worldly hunger, let our spiritual lives be full of You. In the name of Christ Jesus, Amen