stale bread and stagnant water

I asked a buddy of mine why bread gets stale.

I asked the same friend how water becomes stagnant. (well, he IS a scientist, so I thought I'd get a 2 for 1 deal)...

so, here's the skinny:

Bread goes stale over time due to two main things...Sitting around not being consumed (used), bread has increasing exposure to air. Air dries out the moisture that makes bread supple and also exposes the bread to contaminants such as mold spores and bacteria which of course will begin the early degradation in quality as these feast upon the exposed bread. Second, over time the sugars that are in bread begin to break down and turn to starch, thus the savor of the "Sweet fresh bread" becomes a tasteless mass of starch and fiber, mostly useless to the person seeking to enjoy a tasty meal. Thus, it is important to use bread before inactivity renders it useless.

Water becomes stagnant when it ceases to move. Movement carries away contaminants and microorganisms that cause water to become stagnant. The inflow of fresh water cools the water and flushes clean the impurities. Standing water, warms much quicker becoming a breeding ground for the production of algaes and bacteria, which eventually will rob the water of oxygen and producing wastes that contaminate the water. Flowing water that is healthful and full of life- sustaining oxygen quickly becomes a cesspool of impurities and nastiness when it ceases to flow.

Bread and water are necessary to our physical sustenance... but there is a spiritual application here as well...

I have been feeling a little stagnant and stale lately... and that's the reason I asked my friend to answer my questions about bread and water. And, no surprise, God gives us some really insightful answers directly from His creation!

So for me, when I'm feeling stale, maybe it's because I need to be 'used' and not just sit around and expose myself to all these 'contaminants'...

and when I'm stagnant, perhaps it's because I've become a reservoir and not a river... maybe I need to 'move' (and allow His Spirit to move in and through me) so I can be purified and refreshed by the 'life-sustaining oxygen' which I so badly need....

There are literally hundreds of applications we can take from sweet bread and healthy water.

I challenge you to prayerfully consider at least one today... right now. and, if you have a moment, please share yours with me...

God Bless!