Bethlehem: God’s Oven

Kristy Burmeister 

Jesus told them, “I assure you, it wasn’t Moses who gave the bread from heaven to you, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
John 6:32-33 CEB

In ancient Hebrew, Bethlehem means “house of bread”. God used this town as an oven to deliver his bread to the world. On that night in Bethlehem, so long ago, no one fully understood why Jesus had been born. I doubt anyone would have referred to the baby as “bread”. Yet, that’s exactly what he was. Bread that fills your soul instead of your stomach. Bread that grants eternal life.

Bread has been a staple for humans since ancient times. We still gather together around the table to break bread with others, especially as we enter the holiday season. For early Christians, bread meant life and community. Let us strive to recapture that meaning this Christmas as we break bread and focus on the eternal bread of Bethlehem and on creating and strengthening connections with others.

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Dear God,
As I sit down to meals over the holiday season, please help me to remember the life giving bread of Jesus. Also, help me find ways to reach out to others.
Amen.

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Kristy is an ex-Mennonite adult PK who blogs about life, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, active pacifism, and wandering through the spiritual wilderness at kristyburmeister.com. She is a wife and mother of two daughters

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