Monday, October 12, 2009

Labor for Christ, our Bread of Life

God provided and blessed the Israelites with bread they did not know. They named this bread manna, which means "What is it?" What's interesting about God's provision through manna is that God commanded the Israelites to gather a day's portion every day, except on the day prior to the Sabbath. Any manna that was left over for the next day bred worms and stank. "Morning by morning they [Israelites] gathered it, each as much as he could eat..." (Exodus 16.21). I can't help but think the reason why God created the manna to last one day was so that the Israelites had to rely on God daily. If anyone did not labor and gather the manna they did not eat. To him that did he had his fill.
As it pertains to us, we too must come to the True Bread of Heaven (John 6.32) daily and receive our fill. Had the Israelites collected a week's worth of manna none would have lasted past the first day and people would have starved. The same is true for us, if we attempt to "gather" a week's worth of Bible reading in one day we will starve ourselves.
Jesus says that "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Jesus quotes this from Deuteronomy 8.3, of which the text says, "And He [God] humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." This passage itself confers that God gave the Israelites manna in order that they might know they live off of every word that comes from God. How does giving the Israelites food make them realize they live off God's word? Simple, the food itself was provided apart from them. They did not do anything to make the food. The manna was the extension of God's promise and word to the Israelites. To those that embraced this promise of God they received the manna. Sometimes God provides physical food (i.e. manna), but He always provides spiritual food - this food that humans long for more deeply than physical food. So I plead with us, with you, don't read the Bible once a week and think that you will be supplied for the whole week. Rather, come daily to the Word and have your fill and find life.

Having said that about our need for Christ daily, I urge us: Don’t labor for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, namely Christ, which the Son of Man will give you by faith. Labor to be in the Word daily. We receive our food and drink in the Word. How is this? Because in the Word God gives Himself.

No comments:

Post a Comment