Are You Hungry?Ihe Atụ

Does it surprise you how often Jesus taught around the table? When you think of Jesus, is your first thought of someone who made meals one of His primary ministries? Jesus used the everyday practice of sharing food to display the kingdom of God. He showed us that of all the things the kingdom would be, it would feel most like coming home to a family dinner.

The inclusion of food helped demonstrate that this kingdom wouldn’t just be a spiritual one — a place for our souls to belong—but a physical one too, changing world here and now. This wasn’t a meal just for those who could afford it — no, this was a feast that every person was invited to!

Is it any wonder then, that it was the way Jesus broke bread that clued in the men on the road to Emmaus that it was Jesus who was walking with them? Is it any wonder that when He appeared to the disciples after the resurrection, He didn’t do anything before He had made them a good breakfast? There was Jesus on the lake shore starting a campfire under the pre-dawn starlight. He even picked up bread ahead of time!

The life of Jesus shows that food, like so many other things, is something we must use for the right purposes. Enjoying a beautiful piece of ripe fruit or cooking a meal for your family are both acts of stewardship; they use God’s gifts in the way they were designed to be used!

But bread is meant to be broken, shared and given away—not stored for ourselves.

Jesus was concerned with people’s bodies, not just their souls. Even after the resurrection, He took time to eat with the disciples, knowing that food brings comfort, connection, joy and strength. Jesus recognized the mortal limitations of His friends with care and concern. Of course they would be hungry after a night of fishing! This is why so often when Jesus taught about what it meant to follow Him, He gave the example of feeding the hungry. To provide food is to walk in the way of Jesus and acknowledge the worth of others by welcoming them to our own table. Sharing food is an act of sacrificial love and trust that there will be manna again for ourselves in the morning.

Reflect:

• Imagine yourself sharing a table with Jesus. From what you have read in God’s Word over the last seven days, how is Jesus speaking to you? What does He want you to know about the kingdom life He is calling you to? What action can you take out of trust in Him?
• Are you hungry to see the kingdom of God? Will you break bread to make it happen? Think of one short-term goal and one long-term goal. Write them down (consider posting them on your fridge as a reminder!)
• Pray for those experiencing physical hunger, that the people of God would work together to find innovative solutions, act with generosity, and be filled with compassion.

Thank you for reading, we hope you benefited from this devotional. To see more resources available from Compassion Canada, please visit http://cmpsn.ca/YV