COLUMN: ‘Give us today our daily bread’

The other day I had lunch at a restaurant that brings warm rolls to the table. It was a chilly, rainy sort of day and those rolls were what we needed. There is something about warm, fresh bread that is not only delicious, but comforting as well. Add a little soft butter soaking in and it just gets even better.
I’ve had the opportunity to break bread in many places around the world, and frankly our bread just doesn’t match up. I don’t know why, but let’s face it, not long ago the grocery stores only had wheat and white and maybe a little rye bread. Bakeries focused on sweet treats, and bread was just a way to hold your sandwich together.
I remember going to a Wal-Mart in Mexico about 10 years ago and their bakery section probably had a hundred or more different kinds of fresh bread and rolls. From long loaves to twisted loaves, from soft sweet rolls to crunchy sandwich buns, there was an amazing variety.
Since then I have noticed that our stores have caught up a little, but I think we still have a ways to go. Perhaps we forget what a staple of life bread is. After all, do you remember the Lord’s Prayer? “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11 NIV). It is not “Give us our daily steak” or fish or lamb chop, it is bread. Bread is and has been an essential part of the daily diet for most of the world throughout history.
Jesus even went so far as to call himself the bread of life. “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty’” (John 6:35 NIV).
Believing in Jesus, trusting in him is as important as our daily meals. He gives us life and strength. He keeps us going, gives us everything we need day-by-day, moment-by-moment. We sometimes forget what a daily, essential need he is for us.
Do you keep a daily connection to Jesus? Do you let Him be bread for your soul? Nourishment for your heart? Without him there is emptiness like hunger in us, an emptiness that only the bread of heaven can fill. Next time you get one of those delicious dinner rolls, or grab a quick sandwich, maybe you could stop and give thanks not only for your daily bread, but also for Jesus who is the bread of life.