I love going to restaurants that serve bread before the meal. Sometimes I enjoy the bread so much that I don’t have room left for the meal and end up taking most of it home in a go-box.
One thing about bread though, it needs something with it otherwise it’s just kinda plain and dry. It needs butter, or honey, or sandwich meat and mayo. Something. By itself it just isn’t quite satisfying.
“Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” John 6:32
The bread from heaven that came down in the wilderness for Israel was symbolic of the bread that was to come. But it wasn’t that bread and couldn’t satisfy. We read of Israel’s complaining about the manna because they became weary of it. It wasn’t the true bread.
How often are we found trying to satisfy ourselves with something that the Father only meant to be a pointer to lead us to Jesus? Even our spiritual disciplines, which are important and necessary, can fall into this category. We pray and fast and read the Bible, but find that we keep looking for something to add because we just aren’t quite satisfied. It is only when these things lead us into true communion with the living Lord that we will find contentment and satisfaction.
Jesus needs nothing added. The true bread doesn’t need any butter.
He is my Delight 