Today Daily Devotional

“To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna.”

— Revelation 2:17

Whenever we read from the book of Revelation, it’s important to keep in mind that it is full of symbolism. It isn’t meant to be read literally, and if we try to read it that way, we will run into many difficulties.

In this passage, the apostle John is writing down a message from Jesus to a church that needs to hear encouragement as well as a warning. The bottom line is this: Stay true to God’s Word. Don’t get distracted by other slick ideas that might lead you in directions where you can get defeated and discouraged. Keep your eyes on Jesus! Whoever does this will be victorious, and whoever is victorious will be given “some of the hidden manna.”

“Hidden manna” is probably a reference to the manna that was placed in the ark of the covenant (Exodus 16:33-34; Hebrews 9:4); this reminded the people that God was present with them in every situation. This manna was some of the bread sent from heaven, a reminder of God’s abundant provision to his people in their need. It was a sign of God’s generous hospitality and God’s presence. It also pointed to Jesus’ coming to save us and give us new life.

Jesus’ offer of “hidden manna” reminds us that he is the bread of life (John 6:32-35). So let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and trust that he will help us stand firm in faith, no matter what challenges may come.

Lord Jesus, our eyes are fixed on you. We trust you to give us all we need in every situation, that we may remain true to your name. Amen.

He broke [the bread] and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

— 1 Corinthians 11:24

In the Lord’s Supper (communion) bread symbolizes nourish­ment and sustenance in faith, but it also symbolizes the death of Jesus that saves us from destruction. It’s like water and wine. These symbols are like a double-edged sword: water can sustain life, but it can also create deadly floods. Wine can gladden the heart, but it can also destroy people’s lives.

Some stories about bread in the Old Testament include this element as well: manna that was greedily kept until the next day became rotten and unsafe to eat (Exodus 16:20); a soldier’s dream showed a loaf of bread destroying the Midianite camp (Judges 7:13); and the odd bread that Ezekiel had to eat warned the people of an impending siege (Ezekiel 4:16). And here, in 1 Corinthians, the Lord’s Supper reminds us and warns of judgment and how Jesus came to save us from certain destruction.

There is an element of being completely open with God and each other when we come to the Lord’s table, especially because we gather to eat together. None of us really wants our life to be scrutinized, but at God’s table, there is always mercy. Mercy is greater than judgment; provision is greater than scarcity; life is greater than death; “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). And God’s presence with us through the bread of Christ is greater than anything we could ever ask or imagine.

Thank you, Jesus, for your death, which gives us eternal life. Amen.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. . . .

— Acts 2:46

For a time, our church received donations of day-old bread from a bakery nearby. An elderly man from a neighboring church would pick up the bread and bring it to us on Sunday mornings. Some of it, however, was too tough for his church members to eat, he said, because many of them couldn’t afford dental care and were missing teeth. They could enjoy soft breads, but not the bagels, artisan loaves, and so on. So I suggested that some members in our church might like the breads that their members couldn’t use, and the elder thought that would make a great arrangement.

Early each Sunday morning, he dropped off a few gigantic bags of bagels and seedy artisan loaves, joking each time that this was his gift for “the church of the strong teeth”—and every week without fail we laughed about it. He saved the soft bread for his congregation, and our young people ate bagels after the morning service—and then also each morning throughout the week. This became a regular part of our Sunday gatherings. Our churches became closer because of it, and in a very real way we “ate together with glad and sincere hearts.”

Acts 2 gives a glimpse of the early church and how they gathered for worship and ate bread together. When we break bread together with glad hearts, we remember Jesus and take part in the joy shared by those early followers.

Jesus, by your Spirit be present among us as we break bread together. Amen.

Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

— Luke 24:35

There’s a story about a woman who happened to wander into a church on a Sunday morning. She was an atheist, so she wasn’t quite sure why she decided to sit there in a pew, and then when she was offered communion, for some reason she didn’t turn it down. As she heard the words “Take this bread” and ate the piece of bread, it was as if she received a revelation. From that moment on, she followed Jesus and then started a food bank so that she could help feed others.

This story and our reading in Luke today give glimpses of what’s possible even when people aren’t aware of who Jesus is. When we read the story of the men walking on the road to Emmaus, it’s hard not to wonder why Jesus kept them from recognizing him. He could easily have told them earlier who he was and filled them with joy. Yet God’s ways are not our ways. And then somehow, when Jesus “took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them,” their eyes were opened.

Can we accept that we can’t control how or when Jesus reveals himself to us, and that it may not depend on our intellectual ability?

Jesus allowed these followers, on the very day of his resurrection, to recognize him first and foremost in the breaking of bread, permitting them to understand and even to taste the truth of who he really was.

Lord, our hearts are burning within us too. As we taste your goodness, we know that you are the risen Savior. Amen.

“Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself.”

— Ezekiel 4:9

In some grocery stores you can find “Ezekiel 4:9 Bread,” which contains the same ingredients God told Ezekiel to use here to make bread.

But the recipe God gave Ezekiel wasn’t intended to be an expensive specialty food. Although the combination of grains forms a complete protein and would have given Ezekiel a lot of important nutrients as he ate the small portions he was told to eat, the mixture of those ingredients was not part of his cultural tradition. It pointed to a pared-back diet for times of poverty and crisis. The wheat was to be mixed with grains and legumes that made for a scant vegetarian diet and weren’t very desirable. To make matters worse, Ezekiel had to cook the bread over manure!

This strange story is unsettling: Why would God ask Ezekiel to do this? And why did Ezekiel follow through even though it was awfully uncomfortable to do so?

There are no easy answers, but it seems that the message God intended here was that there would be harsh consequences for Israel’s disobedience, and yet this unusual bread would sustain people. A coming siege would bring horrible discomfort, but it would not completely obliterate God’s people. It would be a wake-up call to turn back to God. Many years later, Jesus would sound a similar call for the people to recognize God in their midst.

Lord, your ways puzzle us sometimes, and yet we trust you to turn us back to you. Amen.

“Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.”

— Ecclesiastes 11:1

The meaning of this passage in Ecclesiastes has often puzzled people. Translated more literally, it says, “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.” Some think this refers to being generous toward ­others or to teaching people various skills that may take a while to learn. Others suggest that it has to do with trade and economic markets, which may bring a great return on investment. Still others say that, like other parts of Ecclesiastes, this simply describes some of the uncertainties in life.

For example, while some industries and businesses have thrived during the pandemic, others have struggled enormously. And in recent years, extreme weather events—droughts, floods, wildfires, and record-breaking temperatures—as well as social and ­political tensions, have made life alarmingly difficult and uncertain. Recovering or rebuilding could take a long time, and in some respects there may be no return to the way things were before.

The wisdom of Ecclesiastes sug­gests that whatever you do, be aware that it may take a long time before you see results. Overall, Ecclesiastes emphasizes that while life is fleeting and fragile, we live and act with trust, enjoying things that can simply be enjoyed now, and believing that God, not us, guides the outcomes. We take risks, and we may or may not see a return. There are no guarantees—except that God will sustain us.

Lord our God, help us to trust you in all circumstances. Amen.

To show partiality is not good, yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.

— Proverbs 28:21

It has been said that the Psalms were given to us so that we could know how to speak to God, and that the Proverbs were given so that we’d know how to speak to each other. Proverbs 28, as well as the chapters around it, reveal how delicate and complex human relationships are.

It’s often a challenge to know what to say to each other, and sometimes we get it really wrong: saying wrong things for the wrong reasons, and even saying right things for the wrong reasons. The proverb in verse 21 points out that it’s not good to play favorites—and it’s also not good to act with false motives. To say what someone else wants to hear just to keep the peace or to gain a reward—even for a basic thing like bread—can be deceitful and corrupt.

This echoes a similar message found in Proverbs 20:17 (NRSV): “Bread gained by deceit is sweet, but afterward the mouth will be full of gravel.” Saying what we think another person will want to hear usual­ly doesn’t bring satisfaction, and it can eventually hurt everyone involved. Jesus teaches that “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45). If we are satisfied by the bread of life that only Jesus can give, we will speak truth.

Lord, speak to us so that we may speak truth, and help us to resist speaking falsely or doing wrong just to please others. Amen.

He makes [plants] grow . . . bringing forth food from the earth: . . . bread that sustains [people’s] hearts.

— Psalm 104:15

Near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the teachers at my school made a loaf of bread and brought it to our home on a Friday evening. Because of the lockdown, we hadn’t seen many familiar people face-to-face, and her gesture remains one of the most memorable moments of that uncertain time. The loaf of bread was delicious, but it was the act of friendship that sustained us.

Psalm 104 describes a joyful celebration of God, our generous Creator. Things that are vast and incomprehensible and even things that are ordinary are included in this song of wonder: everything good comes from God’s goodness, and all of it points to God’s glory.

Near the center of the psalm is a picture of humans flourishing and radiant in the midst of a lively, colorful creation. People flourish because God causes them to flourish. Their faces shine because God provides oil for them, and their hearts are strengthened because God provides them with bread.

The phrase “bread that sustains their hearts” points not mainly to physical strength but to the inner strength we experience when we are well cared for. Our bodies may be weak and vulnerable, but our spirits within us can be resilient and strong. The confidence here is that God’s character is dependable because God gives bread—the bread of life.

O good and generous Creator, strengthen us in our inner being through Christ our Lord. Amen.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

— Psalm 23:5

Have you ever arrived at a ban­quet or a special event and been surprised at the beauty of the table that has been set up for the occasion? Sometimes a decorative “centerpiece” draws attention to the beauty of the table, but often the table itself is the centerpiece of an event!

There are many reasons why Psalm 23 has sustained people through difficult times, and one of the most hopeful images is that God will prepare a table for us. In the book of Exodus, a similar phrase is used as an instruction to Moses, outlining the expectation that the sanctuary was to include a table set in a certain way, and that the table would only be completely set when “the bread of the Presence” of the Lord was placed on it (Exodus 25:30).

But the table in Psalm 23 doesn’t actually mention any bread. In Psalm 23, God’s presence itself is nourishment, and the bread of God’s presence is experienced in the “goodness and love” that follow us all the days of our lives. The wonderful table is set for us even while we are surrounded by difficulties. Not everything is perfect yet, but as we pass through dark valleys and are taught by the comforting rod and staff of God’s Word, we ­arrive at a place where we can feast with God. And this feast lasts not just for a day but carries us through all the days of our lives.

Lord, we are humbled and in awe of the table you have set before us. Your presence is at the center of it. May we dwell in your house forever. Amen.

“Arrange them in two stacks, six in each stack, on the table of pure gold before the Lord.”

— Leviticus 24:6

When someone wears a wedding ring, it shows that they have a distinctive relationship with another person. The ring is a constant reminder of a promise made, and it affects the behavior and identity of both persons in the present and in the future.

In some ways, the visible symbol of bread at the center of the tabernacle was like that: it was a symbol of the people’s life committed to the one true God. Though the book of Leviticus is not always easy to understand, it helps to know that the overall point of Leviticus is about God graciously providing a way for his beloved but flawed people to live in his presence, just as he lived in theirs. Not long after God sent manna, bread from heaven, to his people in the wilderness (Exodus 16), God gave them these Levitical guidelines for holy living. In these ways the people could demonstrate their gratitude, awe, and worship of God. Twelve fresh loaves of bread were to be on display on a gold table in the holy tent of meeting as the “bread of the Presence” (Exodus 25:30)—a visible symbol that God was present with his people. The bread was a covenant reminder that God had rescued his people, set them free, and called them to live distinct lives of love for God and for their neighbors.

Lord and God, just as your people were reminded of your awesome, life-giving presence when they looked at the “bread of the Presence” in the place of worship, so may we remember your love and mercy. Amen.