I have a confession. I love bread. 

I am one of those strange people in the grocery store who will pick up a loaf of bread just to smell it. It used to embarrass my daughters to no end. Now, they’re so used to it, they’ll hand me a loaf as we push our buggies through the bread aisle and exclaim, “Just do it, Mom.”

My love for bread, however, has helped shed some light for me on a statement Jesus made in Matthew 4.

The devil was enticing Jesus to put on a display of His divinity by turning some stones into bread. Jesus responded with, “…man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (vs. 4 NKJV)

I am certain that if I had been the one in that test, I would’ve found the nearest stash of Dave’s Killer Bread, grabbed a toaster and a stick of butter, and appeased my longing for carbs. 

So, for this bread-loving girl, reading this passage stops me in my tracks every time and reframes my thinking.

Am I being fueled by the word of God today? 

Is His word what’s nourishing and sustaining me?

Or, am I trying to fill my tank and run on something else?

Those are really the questions for all of us, aren’t they?

As people, we tend to replace living by God’s word with things – food, relationships, vacations, the news cycle, the list goes on and on.

Options are nearly endless when it comes to things we think will satisfy, fuel, or sustain us. 

But the truth is, try as I may, no matter how many slices of bread I eat, I eventually wind up hungry again. The gratification I get from eating it is temporary and fleeting. 

The gnawing hole returns and begs to be filled. 

God’s word, on the other hand, is eternal, lasting, tank-filling, and deeply satisfying. It is the one constant in a world offering a variety of shallow substitutions.

“…the word of God is living and active and full of power…” (Hebrews 4:12 AMP)

Praying you’re living by “His every word” today!

Until next time, Grace and Glory!