Bread

I didn't get my posting done yesterday because I was being fed so much that the morning was gone before I knew it.  I am so grateful for your comments.  They help take me deeper in my spiritual walk.

I DID want to share some of the ideas I gleaned from my own study yesterday, however, so will back-date this to Friday since that's when I was thinking about this topic.

The topic of bread has been coming up a lot for me lately, and I've been doing a lot of meditating on the idea of my daily bread and the "Bread of Life".  I've been reading in John chapter 6. The story begins as crowds are following Jesus because of His miracles of healing.  Jesus sees the large crowd and feeds them. Then, realizing that they're planning to take him by force and make him king, he heads up to a mountain to be alone. 

The thought comes to me - how would I react?  It's so easy to conform to what "the people" want.  And yet, I remember a situation I was in where people were putting me on a pedestal and I disliked it so much that I quit rather than have that behavior continue.  At first I feel pretty good about this, thinking to myself, "Okay, that shows that I wouldn't let other people's behavior go to my head and get me to do something that isn't good for me." But then I realize, that's not true.  In the example I just gave, I DID let their behavior get me to do something.  It was the opposite of what they wanted, but their behavior was still a large factor in my decision, and I didn't seek God's guidance as sincerely as I should have before making my choice.  Jesus made it quite clear that His words and actions were based solely in His Father's guidance. And, what did Jesus do when he went to be "alone"? Undoubtedly he was communing with his Father.  And He didn't remain hidden in the mountain. He came back down and continued to interact with the people.  Father, forgive me for not seeking your guidance and following it in all things.  Please continue to work in me to do of your good pleasure!

Next, we have Jesus walking on the water to meet his disciples in the boat, and taking them to shore.  The people, seeing that Jesus and his disciples have left, took to their own boats and followed! When they caught up, they asked Jesus how he got there (presumably knowing he hadn't gotten in the boat when the disciples did).  Jesus sidestepped the question, and instead questioned their motives. (Would I have done this, or would I have been tempted to share the miracle of water walking, saying to myself, "It's not bragging. They asked!" Father, forgive me for this pride in me.  Please cleanse me and make me completely yours! May I remember to check in with you constantly so the words I speak are yours.  Thank you!)  Jesus knew these were not people who were seeking healing - they simply recognized an opportunity - they wanted a free meal. He called them on it.  What about me? What are my priorities? I pray they may be focused on the lasting rather than simply my own comfort.

Continuing the story, I discover they ask him a question that has often been on my own mind (verse 28), "What are we to do, that we may be working the works of God?"  I eagerly read Jesus' reply.  "This is the work that God asks of you: that you believe in the One whom He has sent." (verse 29)  Sounds simple enough - but how often I forget to trust and let life's daily worries crowd out my faith!  I have to pray with the father in Mark 9:24 - "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (NIV)  The people he was dealing with however immediately requested a sign.  In fact, they wanted it to be like that of Moses providing manna in the wilderness!  This makes it plain that Jesus was right.  They're only interested in the physical bread, not the "Bread of Life".  Father, thank you that I am learning the value of spiritual bread! May it continue to increase in value in me.

Well, I was being so wonderfully fed, between the things I've shared here and other things that came as folks shared through comments on my blog, that before I knew it it was lunch time and I hadn't eaten breakfast!  One of the things I believe I've been shown is that for me, it is very important to eat breakfast (as a way of helping to control my tendency to eat more than I should).  When I eat a good breakfast, I am much more likely to eat in a healthy way throughout the day.  When I don't, I'm much more likely to binge.  So, I was a bit concerned when I realized that I had inadvertently skipped breakfast. 

As I was thinking this, I started to realize that though the focus of this passage in John is spiritual, there may also be some valuable insights regarding physical meals. As I re-read verse 63, these words stood out to me, "It is the Spirit Who gives life; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever."  Immediately, a couple more verses popped into my head - both things that Jesus said.  The first, "Man shall not live by bread alone . . . ". The Amplified Bible puts it, "Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God." (Matt 4:4)  The second is John 4:31 and 32. "Meanwhile the disciples urged Him saying, Rabbi, eat something.  But He assured them, I have food (nourishment) to eat of which you know nothing and have no idea." (John 4: 31,32) 

One of the things I've been concerned about on the physical plane, is the idea of supplements. Science tells us that due to depleted soils, our food no longer has as many of the vitamins and minerals as it once did, and suggests that supplements are necessary because of this.  Reading these verses suggests to me that by far, the most important supplement, is spiritual bread.  Or perhaps it is designed to be our main course!  What if the physical nourishment my body needs and has clearly been missing (as evidenced by the fact that my body has no longer been able to maintain a healthy weight and has various aches and pains), was MEANT to come from my daily communion with God - from my daily spiritual bread? 

So, for today, I trust God for both my spiritual and physical bread.  I have missed my physical breakfast, but FEASTED on the spiritual this morning.  I trust God to see me safely through the rest of the day.  Thank you, God!