Banquet for the Soul

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, He told them to ask the Father for their daily bread. While this definitely refers to physical provision, I believe it is also a request for God to provide for spiritual nourishment. There was a time in Israel's history when the Lord supplied the Israelites with manna that rained down from heaven. They found this special bread sprinkled on the ground each day. They were told gather 1 omer (about 4 pints) per person and were commanded not to store extra for the future except for the Sabbath. Some of them did not heed God's instruction and the manna became infested with worms and stank on the following day. The Israelites found that, when they followed the Lord's command, their needs were fully met by the Lord each day.

God wants to meet our physical needs, and He promises to do so; He also desires to provide spiritual nourishment to His children. It is important for each of us to establish a quiet time each day. During this time we are to feast on God's word and pray to the Lord. The Lord wants to speak to us. He desires to build us up spiritually so we can face each day filled with the encouragement that comes from the Lord. During our quiet time, the Holy Spirit will strengthen us; He will show us things to come. The Lord will rain down His word and His presence so that we will be satisfied spiritually.

Won't you take time each day – perhaps ten to fifteen minutes to start with – to spend with the Lord. He is waiting for you and He will bless you as you give yourself to Him. You will find that your whole day takes on a new light of joy and expectancy. Let us draw near to Jesus the bread of life. He is a banquet for the soul.

Dear Father God,


I thank you for sending Jesus the bread of life. I ask You to give me my daily bread. I choose to find nourishment in You by setting aside some time each day to get to know you. Thank you for satisfying my spiritual needs. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.