Reading Scripture Daily - Daily Bread - Part 1

"Give us this day our daily bread…” Matthew 6:11
“I am the bread of life…” John 6:35
 
America is now the most overweight country in the world. Not exactly a shining award, but true nonetheless. Most of us are not in danger of starvation. Plenty of us have a “camel’s hump” of excess to supply us for many days! However, we also continue to eat, and eat often! Three times a day we schedule life around taking in food. Think of all the time we would save if we just bought all our groceries on Saturday and consumed every bit of it on Sunday. Want to try that calorie blast? No, I didn’t think so. 
 
Yet, this mirrors what some Christians try to accomplish spiritually. We “consume” spiritual nourishment through the teaching of God’s Word on Sunday, then try to make it through the week on what we’ve stockpiled. We might supplement our diet through Wednesday night church activities, or a weekly Bible study.  Greater spiritual nourishment would come through a consistent intake of spiritual Bread. Daily Bread. 
 
Here are some simple suggestions for your spiritual diet:

1. Ingest and Digest – Take notes during Sunday School and church on Sunday. Write down key thoughts and scripture passages that your teacher/pastor mentions. Then go back through those notes as your devotional material for the first few days of the week. Look for deeper understanding. Consider life-applications around the question, “What difference does this make in the way I live?” Invite your kids to share what they learned at church, and discuss ways to put those insights into practice. 
2. Chew Well – Big “buffets” of sermon insights are wonderful, but what you “chew on” through the week may be of equal value. Take a verse from Sunday morning, write it down, and meditate on it for the next few days. Consider other verses that add depth of meaning to it. You’ll not only end up memorizing the verse, you’ll enjoy every bit of “flavor” you can get from it! 
3. Snack Often – Supplement your Sunday morning diet with other sources of spiritual nutrition. Whether reading a classic like “My Utmost for His Highest” or an online daily devotional, these bite-sized offerings can keep you vibrant and spiritually alert during the week. The website www.rbc.org actually produces a quality devotional series titled, “Our Daily Bread.” So, pull up a seat, grab your Bible, and enjoy Christ – our daily Bread.