Wednesday, January 23, 2008
John 6:51a "I am the living bread which came down from heaven."
I AM THE LIVING BREAD
Did you make any resolutions at the beginning of the year? Are you making the annual attempt to diet and exercise? We know it's important to eat right and keep our bodies in reasonable shape. As Christians our bodies are, after all, temples of the Holy Spirit. However, staying fit is easier said then done.
What about your spiritual diet? Did you make any resolutions about that? Seeing to the health of our souls is becoming less and less of a priority for many of us. Apathetic church attendance statistics, the small number of people who attend the average Sunday Bible class, the absence of family devotions, are clear indications that faith fitness isn't at the top of many a Christian's new year priority list. In fact, there isn't one of us who doesn't fail to stick faithfully to his gospel diet.
Jesus declared: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever . . ." With those words our beautiful Savior invites us to go on a diet that cannot fail.
The Savior invites us to eat and drink the truth of His death for all sinners. What could be better for the soul than the assurance that His blood cleanses us from all sin?
He bids us to digest His amazing Easter victory over death. What could strengthen the muscles of hope like the certainty that we too will rise from our graves and live forever?
He calls us to taste of all His wonderful promises. What could give us a healthier outlook on life than the pure and perfect Word of our loving Savior God?
Do we need to make some kind of resolution to stay on a Jesus-diet? Not if those resolutions are based on our own will-power, for then we're sure to fail. What each of us really needs is Spirit worked repentance. Repentance, first of all, involves taking an honest look at ourselves. Are we giving Jesus and His Word short shrift? Next, we turn in certain confidence to our Lord, who forgives all of our sins, including the sin of not making the preaching, teaching, and reading of God's Word our greatest concern. Such repentance will then lead to a greater craving for the Bread of Life! Through such repentance God will give us the wonderful blessings expressed by the hymn writer:
Go, my children, fed and nourished, Closer to Me;
Grow in love and love by serving, Joyful and free.
Here My Spirit's power filled you; Here His tender comfort stilled you.
Go, My children, fed and nourished, Joyful and free.
(Worship Supplement 2000, 800)
