One very common phrase for the Word is referring to it as bread. It’s even been popularized to call it our daily bread in our normal reading plans.
But one thing I’ve noticed is we give lip service to the bread analogy, but treat the Bible more like a beautiful once in a lifetime steak or prime rib.
Let me explain….
A lot of us, when we approach the Scriptures in our daily rhythms we put a pressure and weight on it that sometimes leads to incredible dissatisfaction. We come hoping to have a incredible and tangible spiritual encounter every time we open the Scriptures (which does happen sporadically), and if we don’t, well then that was a failed reading time.
See the truth about bread is I really don’t remember any special moments I’ve ever had with bread. Meaning, no time I had bread stands out to me as revolutionary or life changing or incredibly memorable (except for every time I eat Dave’s Killer Bread, am I right?!). But, I’ve had bread thousands of times and could’ve very well died without those basic elements (this might be a stretch, but in the ancient world, this was even more so as bread was the staple).
But I do remember the very few times I’ve had an incredible perfectly cooked steak at a nice restaurant (I don’t really eat red meat anymore, so I really remember those times now ha).
What’s better though? The ordinary serving of bread every single day that keeps us alive, or the once in a blue moon over the top experience? Obviously the first since one we wouldn’t live without while the second is a luxury. I think sometimes though we don’t realize this is true with the Bible too. I think God calls it daily bread, because it’s about ordinary faithfulness and nourishment, not always coming expecting some crazy spiritual experience.
See, sometimes when we are reading the Bible and we don’t have a “memorable” experience we think we couldn’t hear God, or something was off. But that’s because we thought the Bible was steak. It’s not. It’s bread. It nourishes. It gives life. And it might not stand out, but over the course of a lifetime you’ll realize that was the very thing keeping you alive. It isn’t a coincidence that Jesus too picks up this analogy and calls Himself the Bread of Life in John 6. The question is, every day will we come to the table and eat?
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(picture via Flickr)