The Bread of Life

Apr 18 2025 - Eric Buresh

I’ve mentioned before that one of the practices I enjoy in the Word is to pick a topic or word and follow the thread of that topic through the Bible. Today’s word: bread. The story of God’s provision is written across the pages of Scripture, like a golden thread in a royal tapestry. The Lord has never left His people without sustenance, without daily bread, without the provision that meets them at their point of need. When Israel wandered in the wilderness, the Lord rained down manna from heaven. When five thousand sat hungry on a hillside, Christ took five loaves of bread and two fishes and satisfied the multitude. And now, for all who hunger for true life, God has given the Bread of Life—His Son, Jesus Christ. God alone is the sustainer of our souls, and only in Christ do we find true satisfaction. 

When Israel found themselves in a barren land, their faith failed them. They looked around at the lifeless desert and doubted whether God could sustain them. How like them we are! When trials arise, do we not question whether the Lord will provide? But God, who is ever faithful, sent bread from heaven—small, white, and sweet, sufficient for each day. None gathered too little, and none had too much. Yet this manna, miraculous as it was, could not give true/abundant/eternal life. It sustained the body, but not the soul. 

Centuries after the manna fell in the wilderness, another great multitude sat hungry on a Galilean hillside. Five thousand men, besides women and children, had followed the Savior, hanging upon His every word. But as evening drew near, their stomachs grew empty, and the disciples grew anxious. They had only five loaves of bread and two fishes—a meal scarcely enough for a single family. “Send them away,” the disciples said, thinking naturally, as men do. But Christ, the Great Provider, saw no lack. He took the loaves of bread, blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the people. And wonder of wonders! The bread multiplied in His hands. All ate, and all were filled, and twelve baskets of fragments remained. 

But again, this miracle was only a sign, pointing to something greater. The crowd, thrilled by the loaves, sought Jesus the next day, desiring more bread. But our Lord rebuked them, saying, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” (John 6:27). How do we receive this Bread? Not by effort, not by labor, not by purchase—but by faith. “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:29). Faith lays hold of Christ. Faith feeds upon His Word, His promises, His presence. Faith receives what God so freely gives. And here is the key: Just as manna had to be gathered each morning, just as the people on the hillside had to take and eat, so too must we daily come to Christ. Do not live on yesterday’s grace! Do not imagine that past experiences will sustain your soul today. Depend on Him every day for He is ever ready to nourish and strengthen you.