Have you ever been really hungry? In the early spring of 1972 I traveled with my Eskimo friend Andrew, to visit his family on Devon Island about 70 miles away. We traveled on snowmobiles and spent a wonderful 3 or 4 days with his family. Then he asked if I would like to accompany him on a caribou -hunting trip, and we would go on a dog team of his father's It seemed to me like the opportunity of a life-time. Andrew was so confident of his ability to find caribou that we took an inadequate supply of food. It was a wonderful trip, but also a disaster! We failed even to see a single caribou, let alone shoot one: we ran into a terrible storm which meant for three days we were confined to a snow house; a couple of our dogs escaped so that the pulling ability of the team was weakened; we had a polar bear scare and finally we found ourselves out of food and lost on the ice! The last couple of days I was getting weak with hunger and if Andrew's father had not come looking for us and amazingly found us I am not sure I would be here telling this story today.

 In today's O.T. lesson (1 Kings 19: 4-8) the prophet Elijah is in real trouble. He is feeling fearful, overwhelmed and a total failure. The last few days had been a real emotional roller-coaster for him. Alone he had faced all 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. He had challenged them to a public contest-?lets see whose god is truly alive and active in this world'. In the most graphic possible manner the power of the God of Israel-Yahweh was demonstrated. The fire of God came down and consumed not merely the offering but the whole nine yards, wood, animal sacrifice, water and even the stones around the altar. The God of Israel was vindicated and the false prophets destroyed-Elijah was utterly triumphant. Then his nemesis Queen Jezebel sent him a message. "By this time tomorrow I promise, you will be a dead man". He was afraid and ran off into the wilderness to try and escape the threats of Jezebel.

 In the wilderness the enormity of his failure to trust God overwhelmed him. He was wracked with guilt and failure. Eventually he curled up into a ball and slept thinking "this is the end-I might as well die right now. I am no better than all the other faithless Israelites " However what he had not taken into account was the Grace of God; -that constant enduring love and commitment of God to all his people. God sent one of his servants, messengers or as we call them angels. "Get up and eat; stop feeling so sorry for yourself. God is far from finished with you. But you need bread for the journey ahead of you".

 We need bread for our journey. We need physical bread to sustain us- day in and day out. For most of us in this country though that is not a problem, but for countless millions, getting sufficient sustenance is a daily struggle-ask the people of Liberia, may of whom are existing on snails and dogs. In contrast I am always amazed that however busy my days become, somehow, I always find the time to eat three times a day!

 We also need spiritual food-we need Jesus to sustain us daily.  Through all the wildernesses, challenges and situations that come our way and drain us of spiritual strength and vitality. Sometimes we feel that we are running on empty. Life is demanding and requires that we be regularly nourished by Jesus. I do not know about you but I know of occasions in my life when I have tried to fill my inner emptiness with all sorts of substitutes for Jesus, who is the living bread. Sometimes it is things, sometimes ideas, sometimes entertainment.  You know we try to distract ourselves from that inner hunger, which gnaws at our souls. It was Augustine who nailed it when he said, "God you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you".

 Many of us have been sensitized in the past few years to the danger of eating disorders, but I wonder how many of us suffer with spiritual eating disorders? It was so dumb, so may years ago of Andrew and myself to set off on that long, dangerous journey, with inadequate provisions. Now in our defense we could argue that we were young and foolish, no one warned us before we set off of the dangers we were running. In contrast when we opt not to be nurtured by Jesus we are setting ourselves up to become spiritual anorexics! And Jesus himself warns us of the dangers we run, trying to live as spiritual beings without him.

 Later on in the story Elijah encounters the living God. He was fed, in his inner being by the presence of God, revealed to him in the still, small voice of the Spirit. In John 6 Jesus says, "I am the bread of life-whoever comes to me will never hunger and whoever believes in me will never thirst." 

 Many of us come here today hungry for God. Longing to be satisfied in our inner being. Sometimes it is circumstances that wake us from our sleep-pain, fear, uncertainty, sometimes another person gets our attention-God uses a variety of "angels" to minister to us. However it happens, God in his grace stirs us up and says "Are you hungry-come to me and I will satisfy your soul".

 So much of Jesus ministry on earth took place within the context of meals. Hospitality was central for Jesus-the sharing of food, warmth, friend-ship and in that context experiencing the love and presence of God. In the church every time we gather in worship the great invitation is made " The gifts of God for the people of God. Take them (the body and blood of Christ ) in remembrance that Christ died for you. Feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving" Today as we come forward and stretch out our hands to receive the physical bread and wine lets also open our hearts afresh to Jesus inviting him to feed us at the deepest level of our being-to feed us with himself-the bread of life.