Finding Bread

Trusting God for our deepest needs

Last night, I dreamed about grocery aisles full of bread. 

Only to discover that there were no whole loaves, only halves with broken, molded crusts. In a panicked search, I raced down the linoleum pathways for things to sustain my family in the coming days.

 I woke only to remember that this was no late night sci-fi movie I had fallen asleep to. This was my sub-conscious fear buzzing in my slumber. My knees hit the floor before my feet - head bowed to the true Bread Giver.

Here, we live in “pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps” America where we tend to rely more on our own abilities than we do on God Who has so graciously given them to us. But this unknown we now face is way beyond our human pay grade, isn’t it?

So what’s a believer in Christ to do? 

In this time of teeth-grinding sleep, we can find true peace - not the kind that we receive when the store’s shelves are teeming full, our retirement accounts boast record gains, and our children hold hands with their grandpas - the tangible things we took for granted only a few weeks ago.  

No, this is a calm that only comes from complete surrender to the One,True God. It is when we empty our spiritual carts of self goods, that His Spirit moves in to fill them to overflowing.

Once Jesus walked the earth providing hungry, hurting people with full stomachs and healing miracles. The crowds grew as He gave them what they needed and came to expect.

Then one day, Jesus turned and offered them a trade - to release their image of a god that only existed to serve them, in exchange for a vital relationship with the real God Whom through everything exists.Their souls deepest hunger satisfied by Him, the Living Bread. 

Sad, disgusted, most chose to walk away.

Jesus then turned to those few who remained and asked, “You don’t want to leave, too, do you?”

That question hangs in the air even today, my friend. What will your answer be?

Will we abandon the One Who has kept us in times of plenty now that we face uncertainty? 

Or like Peter, will we declare, 

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”   John 6:68-9

Heaven’s store is fully stocked and ready to provide.