Bread of Life

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)

Sometimes I stop reading before I finish a book. Sorry to admit it. Are the final words really that important? There is an echo in my head from teachers long that a proper conclusion is designed to “tell ‘em what you told ‘em”. Well, if you have already told me then I don’t want to read it again. In the case of reading through the short epistle known as 2 Peter that would be a tragedy. I’m glad I read the last verse.

How can I describe my life with Jesus in just a few words? 2 Peter 3:18 answers the question. A healthy life with Jesus is characterized by growth in grace and the knowledge of Him. This imperative verb form doesn’t read as if growth is optional. It is a powerful directive aimed in my direction. The letter closes with a personal admonition – “Paul, don’t forget to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus”.  

Is it possible to live a life that is contrary to this recipe for life in Christ? Of course it is. Look within. Look around. Malnourished souls abound. Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life”. His declaration is non-negotiable. True life is found in Jesus. Only Jesus satisfies.  Craig Dykstra notes,

“We can turn everything from computer chips and laser beams to legal briefs and leveraged buyouts into daily bread. The bread that we feed on is the bread of business and busyness and boredom, a bread known both in and out of the church. This bread will not satisfy our deepest hunger.”

Dykstra continues,

“We are hungry without fully knowing it, needy but unaware, in exile but unable to remember another home. We need to recognize our true hunger – hunger not for the things we can make, buy, and consume but for another kind of “daily bread”, a daily bread we do not produce and cannot control all by ourselves.”

I am beginning to understand this hunger. I am beginning to recognize these intense cravings. If your spiritual stomach is growling, it may be a sign. I hunger for growth in grace and the knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.