Would there be a difference in our lives right now if God is placed in the center? I suspect mine would. Consider today’s Holy Nougat
“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”” Matthew 4:4 NLT
Let’s visit the bread analogy for a moment. In most cultures, bread was/is a staple of community. Some cultures have a variety of breads, others retain the simplicity. In Jewish culture, where there is a festival named in respect of a special type of bread (unleavened bread – the original ‘journey’ Johnny cakes), I am confident that Jesus’ audiences would definitely understand the figurative meaning implicit in the phrase. For if bread is the staple of life, then living by bread alone also implies that our focus is on the material things in life.
This surely begs the question – from whence do we find our sustenance, i.e. what is our bread? To whom/what do we turn at first go in trouble and in ordinary times? Jesus is also known as the Bread of Life, is that the bread we feast on? Or do we need our very own Sychar well experience with Jesus?
Feasting on every single Word that comes from God thus means that we are dedicated to a committed relationship with Jesus, which includes but is not limited to reading Scripture (Bread for life). Isn’t it interesting that the principle of a spiritual fast is to forego ‘bread’, in order to feast on God’s Word. And that one outcome of a good fast is deeper intimacy with our God. Hmmm
Taken from this perspective I am more aware of the power that fasting carries, yet so many of us shy away from it. Could we be con-vinced that fasting is only for one kind of believers, or that it should be saved for Lent or some other special religious season?
I can’t speak for others, but my most successful fasts occurred when I yearned so badly for God and/or God’s intervention that I was literally reading, reflecting on and reciting God’s Word for guidance and direction. How about you; does your intimacy with God improve when you engage God? In what ways? Today I pray that our quest for solutions will lead us, by default, to the Bread of Life
