"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread..." Genesis 3:19
This sentence took on new meaning for me this past Sunday. As I looked at that scripture written on the board in church this past Sunday I realized it had a double meaning.
I had always interpreted it literally; in order to survive in mortality we must work to stay alive. In Adam's case, hunting for his own food. In the case of many of us nowadays, working to earn money to purchase our own food.
Temporal survival takes work of all kinds. But so does spiritual survival. I looked at that verse and for the first time, thought about the bread of life, Jesus Christ.
"I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." - John 6:35
Coming to him requires much more than desire, though that is a great place to start. It requires more than just asking in prayer, though that is also important. It requires work. It requires active study and reflection on the scriptures and other teachings that have been given to us. This active ongoing study, combined with prayer will bring us toward him, the bread of life.
Only as we work to understand, can we come to know truth.
Through regular study of scripture I have felt peace and clarity increase in my understanding of the turbulent world surrounding me and the purpose of my mortal existence. I know that God lives, that Jesus Christ is his son. I know that Jesus Christ suffered for all mankind. I cannot comprehend how he knows what each of us suffer, but I know that somehow he knows. I know that he loves us and that if we will accept that love, it can motivate and help us reach a potential we may never have known existed within ourselves. I do not know the meaning of everything that happens in life, but because I believe in my Savior I am willing to live by faith, waiting with patience until the day that all things will be opened to my understanding. I look forward anxiously to Christ's second coming with great joy and hope that it cannot now be long. Whether I am here on earth or in Heaven it will be a day of great gladness. I am so thankful for every day I am allowed to remain in mortality and all that it has taught me and will continue to teach me. I am so thankful for all the beauties God has put on earth that bring a smile to my face every single day; for the animals, flowers, sunlight, storms and family and friends that surround me. It is a beautiful world and a beautiful time to be alive, with so much to add to our enrichment and learning and light. I know that we are loved, far beyond our ability to understand and I am thankful for the times in my life when I have felt that love tangibly from beyond, assisting me through dark times. In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.
