What do you picture in your mind when you recite this line in the Lord’s Prayer? I had always thought of it as asking God for our daily food and basic necessities.
The Israelites in the desert were fed manna from heaven every day. It was by all accounts insignificant in size, taste and texture. The Israelites soon discovered that hoarding lots for “a rainy day” did not work as it all went bad. They eventually complained that they would rather go back to slavery and get flavourful food with garlic, and they also wanted meat.
They did not realize that the Bread of Life was sufficient. They did not have to work for it, pay for it, or store it. They did not have a thankful heart!
To make a long forty-year desert story short, not one of those Israelites who were rescued from the cruel slavery of Egypt made it to the Promised Land except two: Caleb and Joshua. They experienced God’s miracles daily; He guided them, and kept them safe and in perfect health. But only those two men had the faith that God would perform what He said He would do!
Despite their initial awe at God’s marvellous works, they did not understand the miracles and soon replaced Him with false gods. Their love for their Saviour turned into contempt!
The desert manna symbolizes the Bread of Life: Jesus. He said: “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me,” and: “whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4: 34; 14)
Few have experienced the number and magnitude of miracles experienced by the Israelites. It is a sobering lesson for us to realize how gratefulness, awe and love can turn into scorn!
The flesh is dominated by the emotions and easily forgets all the benefits received – big and small. That’s why you need the manna hidden in your heart. You are first and foremost spirit, indwelled by the Holy Spirit if you’re born again, living in a body. It is even more important for the spirit man to be fed daily.
God will provide the manna from heaven, but you need to open the Word, spend some quality time with the Lord, and meditate on it daily. Just hearing the Word preached or even reading it regularly is not enough to feed your spirit. You need to chew on it and digest it. The Holy Spirit will then reveal the hidden riches, just as Jesus would explain the parables only to His disciples.
Remember the two men on the road to Emmaus? While Jesus preached to them about His Death and Resurrection their hearts burned within them. However, they did not recognize Jesus until He broke break with them! (Luke 24: 30 – 31)
That to me depicts how preaching the Word will draw you, but it’s the breaking of the Bread that gives you revelation of who Jesus is and His love and purpose for your everyday life.
This daily breaking of the Bread is crucial for building up your faith, developing a close personal relationship with Him, and growing love and gratitude for what He has done, is, and will be doing for you. Faith and love cannot remain static. They need to be fed daily or they’ll become malnourished, just as your body would!
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