Food for Thought

Jesus was not laid in a manger by accident. Rather, His being put in this unlikely place is very symbolic.

Horses and cattle are trained to go to the manger, or trough, when their stomachs are empty. They need it filled daily to survive.

Unlike animals seeking hay and oats in a trough, we have an endless storehouse of spiritual nutrition available to us. We never have to worry about it running out. For us as believers, Jesus is our spiritual food. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry…I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:35a, 51). When he divvied up the Passover bread to His disciples He told them it was His body given for them (Mark 14:22).

We can approach Him any time to be filled and never go hungry for love, acceptance, and mercy. We have His word on it. It is called Scripture and we are to chew on it, digest it, and feed on it daily.

If your stomach growls, you feed it. Do you ever hear your soul growling to be fed? Do you hunger for life’s meaning, or feel famished for love? Come to the manger. You will find all you need, freely given for you.

Lord Jesus, thank you for being our spiritual food. Let us hunger and thirst for time with you, and daily meet you in the Word. May your love dwell in us and fill our souls. Amen.

Go Deeper — The Lord’s Prayer asks for God to give us our daily bread, Jesus. Pray this prayer today, and seek to satisfy your soul’s hunger by reading a few pages in the Bible each day this week, really digesting them.