Jesus said, “It is written, ‘man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4 (NKJV)
“I have not departed from the commandment
of His lips; I have treasured the words of
His mouth more than my necessary food.”
Job 23:12 (NKJV)
I have been
challenged lately not to become anxious when I see people at the store with
their carts heaping full and some of the shelves bare, and to resist the
temptation to buy more than I need for myself. We are living in challenging
times to be sure. But I dare say none of us lived through the Great Depression
or during wartime rationing and shortages. Instead, we’re used to having
plenty and many of our “needs” are actually luxuries according to some
standards. I hope and pray that God will fill us with gratitude for what
we have, rather than concern over what we don’t have, and help us to trust in
our gracious Lord to provide for all our true needs.
Also, our priorities may
need to be re-ordered. For as Jesus notes, we do not live by bread alone,
but by God’s word. Food sustains our bodies but we need to hear from God
in order to be fed spiritually. Yet how many of us can say, as Job did, that we
treasure God’s word more than our necessary food? My hope and prayer is
that we will use a portion of our extra time at home to grow spiritually by
feeding on Scripture, studying and meditating on it. There is help and
hope, encouragement and comfort, in God’s word; be sure to feast on some today
and every day.
It is good to remember
that we have all we need in Christ, for He is the bread of life (John 6:48).
Why not share this truth with someone who is anxious and fearful today?