The Bread Which Forever Holds Us Up

Prayer-Soldier

The Bread Which Forever Holds Us Up

Scripture:

And he went forward, a journey of a day into the desert. And when he was there, and sat under a juniper tree, he requested for his soul that he might die, and said: It is enough for me, Lord; take away my soul: for I am no better than my fathers. And he cast himself down, and slept in the shadow of the juniper tree: and behold an angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him: Arise and eat. He looked, and behold there was at his head a hearth cake, and a vessel of water: and he ate and drank, and he fell asleep again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said to him: Arise, eat: for you have yet a great way to go. And he arose, and ate and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God, Horeb. (1 Kings 19:4-8 )

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God: whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and anger and indignation and clamor and blasphemy be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind one to another: merciful, forgiving one another, even as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Be therefore followers of God, as most dear children: And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and has delivered himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. (Ephesians 4:30 ? 5:2)

The Jews therefore murmured at him, because he had said: I am the living bread which came down from heaven. And they said: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then says he: I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said to them: Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father, who has sent me, draw him. And I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that has heard of the Father and has learned comes forth me. Not that any man has seen the Father: but he who is of God, he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say unto you: He that believes in me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert: and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven: that if any man eat of it, he may not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. (John 6:41-51)

Reflection:

The journey in this world upon which we are set begins with our conception in the womb. What comes from the paths we walk depends upon our willingness to accept the purpose for which He created us. What He allows us to face is so that we will learn, so that we will be sharpened. He knows what is inside of us. When we are weary, it is He who sustains us.

Though we may be persecuted by the unfaithful, if we have faith, He will grant us the strength to endure. If we turn our heart to Him, He will lead us. It is when we come to the point where we cannot prevail alone, He will guide us and carry us so that we will know He is our Lord.

Though He has delivered armies of the unfaithful into the hands of His chosen people, He does not desire for such conflicts among the children of His creation. When the faithful take Him for granted, He will allow them to be humbled. It is for this reason some have fallen to the hands of evil. Still, while He may allow evil to prevail at times in this world, it will not be allowed to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Our obedience is pleasing to Him. While there may be a time to stand and fight to defend the innocent, His truest desire is for us to set aside the evil which drives our conflicts, to forgive others as He forgives us. He seeks for us to walk with each other in love and caring for one another; giving of ourselves so that His will may be done. As we share in love, all will benefit.

It is the weakness of people which yields sin. It is His compassion for the children of His creation which yielded His sacrifice for our sins. He came to us as the path to everlasting life, the food for our soul, the blessing of love, the Prince of Peace. If we believe in Him, He will be our living bread. Through our faith He will deliver us. Our Lord and Savior is the bread of life which will forever hold us up.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier