Bread & Water

2 min read

Growing up, my Mom would make a variety of meals and her famous lemonade to complement each one of them. A good meal and her lemonade always helped me feel the comforts of home at dinner time. However, I never liked vegetables. They were meant to strengthen me, but their bitterness often required effort to consume for their health benefits.

Living life as a believer can feel the same way. Some days bring comfort in worship, family, and ministry events, while others are bitter, demanding every ounce of energy to persevere with God at the forefront. Prophet Elijah understood this well. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah, through prayer and faith in the Lord, demonstrates God’s supernatural power to nonbelievers. But in 1 Kings 19 we see Elijah praying a much different prayer due to fear and fatigue. It is in this moment that Elijah is met by an angel  who says to him, “Get up and eat or the journey will be too much for you” (1 Kings 19:7). 1 Kings 19:8 tells us that Elijah walked on the strength of that food for 40 days and 40 nights.

When challenges surface, what we consume during this time can return our focus back to God or send us spiraling into dominating thoughts of worry, fear and doubt. Sometimes the simplest thing we can do during a challenging season, is spend time at the dinner table with God. The word is the bread and water that will never run dry. Spend time with him this week to nourish your soul and  develop the strength to forge ahead.