What are you eating? Wonder Bread or the Bread of Wonder?

Today's Readings: Psalm 101,109, Jeremiah 18:1-11, Romans 8:1-11, John 6:27-40

I'm 45 years old now. My developmental years happened during the 70's. I grew up on white bread, Wonder Bread to be specific. Back then there were two types of bread most folks new about; Wonder or Sunbeam. Your home had the white bag with colorful dots or not. No one had thought to count the types of grains, or sprout them, or follow ancient bread making concepts. There were a few exotic ethnic varieties that I new about; Jewish Rye (with or without seeds), and German Pumpernickel (reserved for Holidays). It all came from the store, no matter what.

I college I was as surfer and an odd blend of Dead-Head-Activists-Hardcore-Climbing-Thing and began to eat cool bread with stuff my dad used to say was "nuts and twigs". But now, having made four trips to Africa over five years I have learned a lot about bread.

The bread Jesus ate was not batter whipped. The grain grew by Grace and Providence, the water hauled and boiled, the pots made by hand, the clay dug for them, the wood searched for and cut, the wheat harvested with a knife, laid out to dry, separated with a winnowing fork, and baked in clay fire or over an open fire. It was the center of the meal. Each day, every day. It kept people alive. It still does today in the majority of the world.

Jesus told his followers to ask God for this. We look for coupons and many of us keep multiple varieties because our family members have certain preferences. They craved bread, they needed bread, they died without it. We cut it out of our diets because carbs are bad.

It is little wonder that we miss the boat on bread. Here is The Bread of Life, born in the House of Bread (that is what the name "Bethlehem" means), telling his followers to ask his Father for what they need to live. Not to simply thank him for it (as in a grace) but to ask him for it! Each and every day, we are to ask God for the Bread of Life, the source of all life, the Bread of which when we eat of it will keep us alive forever! We, as fallen yet Redeem Sons and Daughters of Adam what to shun this bread like a bad carb as apposed to run to him as the source of life.

And this bread was broken for us on the cross. He was more than whipped. He was killed. And his death has brought us life.

So I ask you, do you ask God daily for more Jesus? Do you work as hard to gain and be with him as the Jews did (and do) for daily bread? Is Jesus that precious to you? Are you eating the Bread of Wonder, or wondering where the bread is?