Are you feeling a little hungry?
. . . how about now? Who wouldn't love a good ol' Number 1 meal from the greatest restaurant on the planet, Chick-Fil-A!
Isn't it interesting how just looking at this picture might have made you think of sinking your teeth into a Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich (I know it did for me!)? You recently may have eaten, yet the sight of delicious, satisfying grub like this can make even a "full" stomach growl for more. Hey, we love us some good food!
In the Bible, Jesus talks about spiritual food and how we need it just like we need physical food. Actually, we need the spiritual kind even more. Jesus calls Himself "The Bread of Life." You may have heard this before if you've ever taken communion with other Christians: the pastor says something like, "On the night Jesus was betrayed, He took the bread and He broke it, saying, 'This is my body, and it is broken for you. Whenever you eat this bread, remember me.'" Then everyone around takes a piece of bread and eats it. Maybe you've wondered why we do that, or perhaps you wonder what the heck Jesus meant when He said "this is my (His) body." I mean, it's not actually the real, physical, flesh-y body of Jesus Christ! That'd make us like, cannibals or something! So since we aren't cannibals, what's the deal with this whole "Bread of Life" thing?
See, Jesus knows what we need. He made us, so He's got a pretty good idea of what we're lacking, what makes us "click" or run or go or whatever you wanna call it. He knew, even before you were ever born, that you were gonna need something very special to make it through this whole life-thing. That something special is Him! Just like we need to chow down on food to have the nutrients, energy, and stamina necessary to live each day (not to mention all the other things that good food does, like give us satisfaction, restore us, and taste great!), we also need Jesus in order to live well, to be truly satisfied, and to live forever. Jesus called Himself the "Living Bread that comes down from heaven," and that "if anyone eats of this bread (meaning Him), then [you] will live forever."
You know what that means? It means you better fill up on Jesus. And how do we do that? No, it doesn't mean that you need to take 25 pieces of communion bread next time you take communion. Instead, you need to devour The Word -- God's Bible. That's God's love letter to you, the story of His Son, Jesus, and how He loved us so much that He gave up His own life so that we could be with Him eternally, never having to go hungry but instead being satisfied with Him.
So next time you see a delicious Chicken Sandwich -- or pancakes, ice cream, a Big Mac, a bowl of Cap'n Crunch, a great piece of fruit, or whatever other food you love -- be reminded of the only One who can really satisfy your hunger. Fill yourself with the words of the Bible. Be full of Jesus!