Not on Bread Alone

I have enjoyed watching the birds outside for the last several days.  I am not a bird watcher, but have been fascinated by their behavior lately, and it made me consider my own.



We usually bring home leftover communion bread from church every week.  If you're not familiar with communion, it is the taking of bread (symbolizing the body of Christ broken on the cross) and juice (symbolizing the blood shed) in remembrance and thanks of Jesus' sacrifice for our salvation.  Both are blessed by the pastors (priests, etc) and served to the congregation.  Having been blessed and representing the body of Christ, it cannot be thrown away- both the bread and juice must be returned to nature.  When Erik brings the bread home after church, if it has been partially used for the communion sacrament, we throw it out for the birds.  



I had thrown out almost an entire loaf one morning, and within minutes we had a dozen birds in our tiny back yard, eagerly devouring the morsels I had put out.  They were so happy and singing, and it made me wonder if they knew what they were eating.  Did they know they it was the body of Christ?  As the boys and I watched, it made me stop and think if I did the same.  Do I spend my day watching and waiting for Christ?  Do I sit down and eagerly devour His word?  The scripture that came to mind was Matthew 4:4 (Deuteronomy 8:3), "Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." 



I have been searching and praying lately that God reveal what it is I am to be doing for him.  I look around me and see so many people my age who have amazing talents, fabulous jobs, are incredible mothers, and I can't help but feel like I've missed something.  And then I remember that I am in a year of nothing...nothing for myself, but all for others.  It is so easy for me to sit idle and wait for God to come to me.  That's not how he works.  We cannot know him unless we actively seek and search for him. 


So I will continue to meditate on where it is he needs me, and I think I know.  My desire is to be like the birds- to seek him enthusiastically, to wait and watch eagerly for him, to devour his word- I will pray the same for you.  


We cannot live on bread alone, we must seek God and know Him through his son, Jesus Christ.