Slice of Life

When we truly come to Christ, our thirst is quenched by the fountain of life and our hunger is filled with the bread of heaven. We discover that Jesus is the supreme source of satisfaction, and we want nothing apart from Him. As we trust in Christ, He transforms our tastes in such a way that we begin to love the things of God that we once hated, and we begin to hate the things of this world that we once loved. David Platt

(For December I will reflect on hints of Christmas in the Old Testament.)

The prophet Micah pronounced, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah. . . from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel.” (Micah 5:2) This tiny, obscure village, about five miles from Jerusalem, would someday be the birthplace of the Messiah.

The name Bethlehem means House of Bread. And Jesus, the most famous hometown hero, would refer to Himself as the Bread of Life (John 6:35).

A few days earlier Jesus had performed an astounding miracle, feeding more than 5,000 hungry followers. When the throng later located Him across the lake, Jesus wondered aloud if they followed Him for another free lunch!

Jesus dove deeper and explained, “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33)

Too often we follow Jesus to satisfy our physical needs. We want health, family, friends, work, money, peace, and full stomachs. But when times get tough, when frustration reigns and pressure mounts, do we still follow the Prince of Peace who alone can fulfill the deep hunger of our spiritual lives?

Bethlehem, the House of Bread, provided the world with the only satisfaction for our hungry souls – The Bread of Life.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc