John 6:51 (ESV)
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If
anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give
for the life of the world is my flesh.
Black bears, polar bears and grizzly bears are all
considered extremely dangerous. They are extremely fascinated by the
non-natural foods that we humans leisurely partake of. But once a bear is
"addicted" to human food, it cannot control its desires and it will
do anything to obtain the food that it can smell. Especially when natural food
sources are scarce!
The story is told of a family that went camping in Banff,
Canada. It was highly recommended that they keep all of their food supplies
locked up in their car. They couldn't even keep food in their tent trailer, as
the vehicle didn't provide adequate protection against Mr. and Mrs. Bear and
their cubs! They were very compliant.
According to one Vancouver Island guide in Tofino,
British Columbia, Vancouver Island doesn't experience such bear attacks, and
humans can live alongside bears peacefully. He tells about a time he was
broiling a fish over a campfire when he heard a sudden movement behind him.
When he turned to look, he was staring into the face of a black bear seated ten
feet behind him. The bear looked at him guide curiously, smelled the air, and
then moved on.
So why are the island bears less aggressive than the
mainland bears? For one thing, only the slightly less aggressive black bear
lives on the island. It is said the primary reason is that there are so many
natural food sources on the island that the bears don't have to rely on human
food for survival! Being omnivorous (eating both plant and animal life), the
island bears have an abundant choice of berries, plants and fish. From time to
time they will find a dead animal and eat its flesh, but no one has ever
sighted a bear attacking other wildlife. Basically, "When a bear has an
abundant food source, there is simply no reason to look for food
elsewhere!"
This is also so true for those of us who have met Jesus
face to face. Once a close and intimate relationship has been developed with
our Maker, the abundance He provides us with leaves us uninterested to the
infamous attractions of this world. He is our everything, our provider, our
almighty God: "Listen obediently, Israel. Do what you're told so that
you'll have a good life, a life of abundance and bounty, just as GOD promised,
in a land abounding in milk and honey." (Deut 6:3)
We will still face our fair share of trials, but if we
remain settled on the unmoveable Rock, we will not be stirred by them:
"Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit - but nothing moved
that house. It was fixed to the rock." (Matt 7:25)
From time to time though we may fall into the trap of
thinking about the "luster" of our old lifestyle. If we do, the
temptation to return to that life will come in with a vengeance. Truly, the
devil is trying to usurp the relationship we have with our Maker, trying to
steal the intimate fellowship we have with God, to replace it with a life of
servitude and defeat: "Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your
real life - even though invisible to spectators - is with Christ in God. He is
your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth,
you'll show up, too - the real you, the glorious you… Done with that old life.
It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in
the fire. Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of
life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions
are now obsolete." (Col 3:3-4, 9-10)
Isn't it awesome that we no longer need to be afraid of
the turmoil of life? With Jesus as our reality, He will provide for all of our
needs beyond our expectations: "God can do anything, you know - far more
than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does
it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and
gently within us." (Eph 3:20)
How do you live your life? Are you a mainland bear or an
island bear?
Hungry? Come to the source of abundant food.
Dear Lord, thank You that You are the source for an abundant
life. Help us not go looking elsewhere for the abundant life that You promised
to each of us. In the Name of Jesus. Amen
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