Bread of Life – Do You See It?

Lent Day 17 – March 21/22

Mark 8: 1-21

“Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?  Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?  When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

He said to them, “Do you still not understand?””

Can’t you just hear the exhausted tone in Jesus’ voice.  The disciples have been with him through the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 (and that was only the men in attendance, the true number will have been higher).  They have seen the miracles He’s been doing, and now 4,000 men and likely their families have been fed with bountiful supply from just a few loaves again.  But they still don’t get the true significance of who they are doing life with.

Here Jesus puts no less than nine questions, one after the other, to his disciples. The disciples were all Israelites who knew the story of how the Lord their God had fed their ancestors with manna in the desert. Yet they do not seem to have grasped the implication of the miracle they had just witnessed nor the divine identity of the One putting the questions to them.

Finally, Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand?”. Jesus told us that he is The Bread of Life”.  I wonder how often, when I can see God’s hand and provision in my life, would Jesus pose the same question to me.  It truly is a spiritual muscle we are not great at exercising.  Two books that have truly changed my life are from a couple of authors I respect so much – “One Thousand Gifts”, by Ann Voskamp and “Wonder” by Margaret Feinburg.  Both of these ladies help the reader to see God’s blessing (His bread or Manna) and intervention every day.  

It can’t be a one and done process.  You need to seek it out, to reflect on the day and truly see where God has drawn near.  It may have been that moment you were able to hold your tongue, or an incredible sunset.   This routine of reflection is one of the Spiritual Disciplines known as “The Examen”.  A time to spend with God and ask Him to help you see where God was near and where you were far from Him during the day.  You may choose to journal these, or simply use them as point of prayer and praise.  If you struggle with reflecting on these yourself, make use of a Spiritual Director.  (I can recommend a good one if you’re searching…)

Sometimes, we simply don’t want to see that the events in our life are not thanks to God’s Hand.  Let this be your prayer today:“Lord, break down the walls that press in on my small heart: let me believe that you are the Son of God, and that in company with you I truly live. Help me see that you yourself are the ‘bread’ which I need to stay alive. Help me to hang all my hope on you.”