Bread of Life
By Bonnie
I was getting ready to feed my dogs this morning.
The empty glass bowls were on the
floor, Annie and Buford standing next them. They
were looking up at me with hope in
their eyes, tails wagging. As I bent over and
began pouring their food out of the jar I
looked at these sweet beings who had total
confidence that I would feed them.
then the Lord took my mind someplace else.
I began thinking of Him, the Bread of life. This
was Him, pouring Himself out continuously for us. We have that confidence
that the Bread that He is will never run out. But
what would happen if, even though I filled the bowls with food for my dogs,
they
walked away to find their own food? What I have
for them is made to nourish them and to satisfy their hunger.
What they might find outside would be a bad substitute, perhaps not even able
to sustain their lives.
Isn't that what happens to us, when we decide to
feed ourselves bread that is not the Lord? We become like Pilgrim in the
story the Pilgirm's Progress. We have turned away from the true Source
and get weakened from eating food that does not satisfy. In our depleted state
we give up turning to the Source of the only Bread that will give us life.
In John 6:35-40 Jesus says,"I am the bread of
life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall
never thirst. But I have said to you, you have seen Me and yet do not
believe. All the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and the one who comes to
Me I shall certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do
My own will, but the will of Him who has sent Me. And this is the will of Him
who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on
the last day. For this is the will on my Father, that every one who beholds
the Son, and believes in Him, may have eternal life; And I Myself will raise
Him up on the last day."
So I thought about the dogs and their food and
then what Jesus said. He will raise us up on the last day, but the days
between- don't we choose daily whether to serve him or serve ourselves? What
is the source of our nourishment? If it is the Bread of life, then our souls
prosper. But if we are tempted to "eat" something else, something that
"tastes" better for the moment, what happens to our spritual health?
There is a way that seems right to a man, but that
way leads to death.
The good news is that our faithful Lord does keep
our "bowls" full. He has given the choice to us concerning what we consume to
satisfy our hunger. He is the way, the truth and the life.
Bonnie Rosser 10/30/11