Not By Bread Alone

Scripture Texts: Exodus 16; Deuteronomy 8; Matthew 4:1-4

The heart of the matter in these passages is twofold, what is it that sustains you and who are you trusting to provide it. The Israelites had a very real concern over where they would get food. While they were slaves in Egypt they had all kinds of food and while they were oppressed in work they always had enough to eat

Now in the wilderness as free people they had no crops and limited livestock. They were hungry and cried out to God. The God solution was to send manna. From what we can tell, manna was not anything extra special, and there were only so many ways to prepare it. Yet, for forty years the Lord provided enough manna and quail for the people.

Many probably thought it was manna and quail that sustained them. As we learn from subsequent passages however, it is not the material food that provides sustenance, it is God who sustains. In Deuteronomy and then as quoted by Jesus, people do not live by bread, or manna, alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Throughout the centuries people have tried all kinds of thing to sustain their lives and they have worked very hard to provide it all by themselves. For some it has been financial wealth, for others it has been a certain lifestyle. Others still think that if they can simply live a god enough life then they will make it through. Somewhere along the journey it is easy to forget that it is God who sustains and it is God who provides.

There are many important things that go into sustaining a marriage. There is the investment of time. The power of going on a date as a married couple should never be underestimated. There is also the investment of emotion, it is impossible to cultivate a deep marriage if the couple is emotionally withdrawn. Yet there is something that is more important than anything else. Perhaps it is better to say there is someone more important than anything else.

To cultivate the deepest marriage possible God must have center stage. This means trusting God to provide and sustain. Time together, shared emotions and all the other important aspects of marriage will only go so far. We must trust God to sustain our marriage, and provide what is needed in order to have the marriage sustained. Marriage does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.