“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth…he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else…For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:24-28 NIV). “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind (John 1:4 NIV). From the very beginning when life on earth began Christ Jesus, the Creator “formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Gen 2:7 NIV). “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col 1:15-17 NIV). “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life” (Job 33:4 NIV). Christ Jesus is life – our very breath.
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9 NIV). “God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life. God does all these things to a person—twice, even three times—to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them” (Job 33:28-30 NIV). “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36 NIV). Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6 NIV). “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Ps 16:11 NIV). “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light” (Ps 36:9 NIV). “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12 NIV). Christ Jesus is life, and true life is lived in and through Him. “The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people…the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:26-27 NIV). True life – living and breathing – Christ in you, the hope of glory.
“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20 NIV). Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 NIV). We all must answer that same question. Do we believe this? And if we do how does that change the way we live our day-to-day lives? Can we boldly say in all truth: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20 NIV)? Christ – true God – our eternal life.
Jesus Christ is our breath and our bread. He is our life sustainer. Jesus told His disciple, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about…My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:32-34 NIV). This should be true of us as well. Our food should be to do His will – to fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives. He is our daily bread. He is the true bread of life. Let us listen and meditate on the eternal words of Christ: “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed [feeding over 5000] but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you…So they asked him, ‘What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world…Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty…I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me…My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day…Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world…Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:26-63 NIV). Christ is our nourishment – the living bread of life. Praise be to God!!!
Jesus testifies, “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35 NIV). Jesus proclaims to the Samaritan woman: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water…whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:9-14 NIV). The gift of God – the living water that Jesus gives wells up within us to eternal life and it flows out of us into the lives of others. Let us listen well. “Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:37-38 NIV). How beautiful is that? Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Let us pray. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread” (Matt 6:9-11 NIV). Nourish us and let your breath fill us with the joy of your presences. Christ Jesus – our very breath and daily bread. He [Jesus] said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children” (Rev 21:6-7 NIV). To God be the glory!!! Hallelujah!!! Amen.
