As I passed through the old neighborhood, the yeasty aroma of bread baking was intense. The bakery, a red brick flat roofed two-story affair on a double corner lot,
was nestled among twins and row homes, and had been, no doubt, a morning ritual stop for hundreds. I promised myself I would check it out.
But one morning there was no comforting smell as I drove by, and a day or two later I noticed a “closed” sign in the shop window in the middle of the day. I thought perhaps the owner/baker was on vacation, but soon afterward, the showcases and fixtures were gone. Yet another business, perhaps the brain child of an entrepreneur and the answered prayer for some locals who loved fresh, crusty bread and gummy sweet rolls, was shuttered for good. Sad.
But I know one thing. The people in the twins and row homes are still eating bread! Perhaps they buy it at another bakery, but more likely, at a supermarket or convenience store. I imagine the aging folks nearby telling the newcomers, “Nobody made bread like Nick!” Or “They had the best sticky buns in Delaware County!” Or, “It was really nice having a bakery down the street.”
And I also imagine their younger listeners staring blankly, nodding their heads and wondering what the big deal is, since it’s easier buying your bread where you buy your cereal, vegetables, and canned goods. And besides, aren’t there a lot of carbs in bread?
Either way, the last time I passed the once proud business, I couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic, and at the same time remember that nothing in this life is static. The only sure thing is change. Markets change, populations change, tastes and diets change, and even climate changes.
This is one big reason why the Bible reminds us not to put our trust in the fleeting things of this life, and instead, to roll our hopes and cares, plans and dreams upon God and His promises.
“This world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31). But unlike our favorite bakery, God’s Word is a permanent source of nourishment that will never fail. Or close.
“I am the Bread of Life.
He who comes to me will never go hungry. . .”
John 6:35