Sunday, September 3, 2017

Comprehensive Bread

UV 2766/10000 Eternal Bread
Give us day by day our daily bread.
Luke 11 v 3
This uni-verse represents the supplication dimension of prayer. We need to petition the Lord for our daily and total needs not because He does not know what we need but as a sign of His sovereignty, our dependence and our faith in His role as Jehovah Jireh, Provider, Father and Husband. We are not to be “rich” towards God, saying we do not need Him or need anything from Him. Each of us need daily inputs of various things: food, clothing, shelter, transport.. But beyond these mundane requirements, we have daily need of food for thought, for knowledge, for wisdom, inputs for the emotions, for the spirit and soul. We have a daily need for rest and recreation. We have a daily need for fellowship, communication and friendship. Jesus asked us not to labour for the food that spoils or perishes but for the bread that endures to everlasting life. He referred to Himself as the Bread sent from heaven which we should partake daily. He is Bread for satisfaction of spiritual hunger, Bread for forgiveness, Bread for the change that true repentance brings, Bread for healing, Bread of deliverance, Bread of blessing, Bread of power and strength. Jesus is the key to the satisfaction of every level of need depicted in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. We will find strength, energy and holistic well being in Him to meet the day’s challenges as well as have reserves that will last for eternity. On the cross, He voluntarily submitted Himself to be split into the divine elements, Bread and drink needed for our victuals replacing the need for all rituals. This we commemorate in the holy Communion or the Lord’s table.
Jesus is the metaphoric roll of bread that the Midianite soldiers saw in a dream at the time of Gideon that rolled down and destroyed the enemy camp. His Word supplies us all that we need from day to day, all our lives. There is no fear that the supply of God’s grace runs out. He gives us our portion in all aspects of our lives as His grace is all sufficient. Bread when consumed becomes part of our bodies and reaches the cellular level of our being. Likewise, Jesus invites us to consume Him so that He is part and parcel of our being, supplies what we need at the deepest level of our being. We are to be contented and thankful for that portion that He gives us. As long as our needs for the day are met, we need not worry about tomorrow or the future.
Jesus is the unleavened Bread. There is no yeast of insincerity or vanity or pride in this Bread. He is the Bread who transforms the eater. It is worthwhile to note that Jesus did not refer to Himself as the Bread-giver but the Bread itself as He is completely focussed on fulfilling every aspect of the plan of salvation for each individual. Jesus is the Bread given by the Father to satisfy the need of man for eternal life. While He asked nothing for Himself, He gave Himself totally for us. Our first response can only be one of love and gratitude. Our next response is that since our hunger is being satisfied on a daily basis, to share this Bread with others to satisfy their longing and fulfil their need.

Prateep V Philip

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