"Our Daily Bread"

Scenic Vermont Countryside
Doesn’t the setting just beg you to take a walk on a crisp fall morning! We never weary of photographing the charming rock walls throughout New England.

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“Our Daily Bread”

“By the sweat of your face You will eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). “Give us this day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3). “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48).

Yesterday we visited the Baker’s Store at King Arthur Flour. King Arthur flour is famous for its quality and variety of grains. The site has baking classes and large open windows into the baking kitchens where you can watch the operations. As Ester and I milled about and sampled some of their homemade bread and pastries Brooksyne visited their spacious gift shop and selected some pie making accessories she’s anxious to try out when she prepares her next pie. In the earlier years of our marriage her specialty in the kitchen was breadmaking. She did so for many years but in an attempt to cut back on our calorie intake she rarely makes homemade bread these days.

Bread is first referenced in the Bible following the fall when Adam was told, “By the sweat of your face You will eat bread” (Genesis 3:19).

Today let consider two well-known New Testament verses dealing with bread; both the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Give us this day our daily bread.”  Most all of you will recognize this to be a verse from the Lord’s prayer. Bread is representative here of provision. In this context it primarily means physical provision. In expressing this to God we are asking Him to meet our daily needs.  From his commentary,  J.C. Ryle elaborates, “We are here taught to acknowledge our entire dependence on God for the supply of our daily necessities. As Israel required daily manna so we require daily bread. We confess that we are poor, weak creatures in need and beseech our Maker to take care of us. We ask for bread as the simplest of our wants, and in that word we include all that our bodies require.”

Bread also conveys spiritual meaning and we need this bread to feed our Spirit. Jesus, in refuting the tempter, stated: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Many of us appreciate the little devotional booklet published by RBC Ministries called “Our Daily Bread”. We have distributed thousands of copies of this devotional in the long course of our ministry. It’s simple title conveys this same sense of provision that comes from the spiritual nourishment we receive from the Bible and its daily application in our lives.

“I am the bread of life.” This teaching follows the feeding of the five thousand. In this passage Jesus also refers to the feeding of manna in the wilderness. This is the first of the seven “I am” (ego eimi or ἐγώ εἰμι as it sounds and looks in the Greek) statements of our Lord. Jesus is asserting that His teaching and the benefits of His intervention are that real foundation of spiritual life of which the manna in the wilderness symbolized.

In John 6:27 He states, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” Of course Jesus was not giving a put-down to those who labor in the fields, but He was teaching His listeners that food which only feeds the body is not enough. We need food that comes from heaven which has an eternal, spiritual nurturing component that food from the ground cannot provide.

Today let us thank our Lord for both the physical provision He provides in our daily bread and the spiritual provision He provides from the “Bread of Life.”

Be encouraged today,

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, in the same way that we grow hungry before mealtime, stir up a hunger within us for the spiritual food You provide through the living Word of God.  You are the Bread of Life who provides physically and spiritually for our daily needs.  Following a hearty meal we often linger around the dinner table considering the tastiness of our meal.  When we “taste and see that the Lord is good” we want to linger in Your presence and consider Your goodness, offering praise to You for all that You are and all that You provide for us.  Bread of Heaven feed us until we are truly satisfied and filled with all the good things that come from You.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

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Some scenes from our travels yesterday

Blowing hot glass at Simon Pearce Glass

Ester was interested in the glass-making process and took this photo as the glass went into the oven heated over 2000 degrees. This goblet sells in their retail store for $85.00.

Simon Pearce Christmas Trees
(We watched a glass worker make several of these. Fascinating process.)

Maplewood Farm near Woodstock, Vermont established in 1780.

Covered bridge in Woodstock Vermont
(A rainy afternoon where we took refuge in the pedestrian walkway)

The Creekside Boutique in Woodstock Vermont is built over a creek.

We hiked along the beautiful Quechee Gorge. Last year this area had heavy flooding due to Hurricane Irene.

Although Vermont is most famous for the maple leaf foliage many of these trees are past peak but this morning we noticed the one outside our hotel room still has plenty of vibrant color.

We share two close-up photos of leaves we took yesterday after a light rain.

Quechee Gorge leaf

Quechee Gorge leaf

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Today’s Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

“I Am”  Video  A video from a local church. This song sure blesses us!

“Fill My Cup Lord”  Video  Reggie & Ladye Love Smith  ”Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more”

King Arthur Flour

Simon Pearce Glass

Woodstock Vermont photos

Here is an outstanding photo I did not take

Quechee Gorge

Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne

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