Christmas Devotion (Day 12) - Bread of Life

"I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from Heaven, which people may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 
-- John 6:48-51

Without bread no one in ancient Israel would have survived for long. So it seems entirely reasonable for Jesus, in what has become known as the Lord's Prayer, to instruct His disciples to pray for their daily bread. On the cross, the body of Jesus became that bread that was "broken for us," to save us from our sins. Yet the Lord also challenged His followers not to work for food that spoils, announcing Himself as the only food that would enable them to live forever. In fact, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which means "house of bread."

Bread was baked daily in the ancient world. Made from a variety of grains (barley for the poor and wheat for those with money), it was usually shaped into small round loaves. Because bread was a primary staple, it was also used in various aspects of worship. The Bread of the Presence at the Temple, consisting of twelve loaves of bread without yeast, served as a constant reminder that it was God who sustained the twelve tribes of Israel. Psalm 78:24-25 speaks of how God's people were fed in the wilderness: He (God) rained down manna for the people to eat, He gave them the grain of Heaven. Human beings ate the bread of angels; He sent them all the food they could eat.

When Jesus fed the five thousand, the bread filled the people up and made them glad. It caused them to recognize that God was giving them a sign, like manna in the desert. Surely this was the Messiah and many wanted to make Jesus king. Jesus quickly withdrew from them because He wanted to do far more than feed bodies that would soon perish. He wanted to nourish souls that would live forever. But the people only wanted more cheap bread. When His disciples found Him He said to them: Stop working for food that spoils. Work for the forever food that I will give you. The work you need to do is to believe in Me. I am the bread of life.

It's easy in our world to stuff ourselves with the world's cheap bread - money, success, comfort and pleasure. The danger is that we will fill up on the bread that only satisfies for a moment but can't feed us for eternity. We need to ask Jesus to make us hungry for Him, for His Presence, for the Bible and for prayer. He is the only bread that will truly satisfy us.

Discuss: Jesus knew that bread is one of life's necessities, so what did He mean by saying He was the bread of life? What do you think He meant when He said that "This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world?"

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I hunger and thirst for so many things that do not bring real life. Yet you speak of food that will enable me to live forever. Satisfy me with Your body and Your blood, the bread of Your holy Presence. Nourish and sustain me now and at the hour of my death. Amen

Song: Do You Hear What I Hear, Mary Did You Know