Bread
Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted within them. Psalm 107:5
Read Mark 8:1—10
I think I know this story well enough. Bread in the desert, it’s like the manna the people of Israel ate in the wilderness.[1] It’s a reminder for me to pray for my daily bread, to trust God a day at a time. It’s a promise of the day I’ll eat in God’s kingdom. It’s almost symbolic. It’s almost theological. It’s a Bible story! But let me stop and listen with my whole being. I am now, by faith, with Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth has been so attractive, his very words and teaching so attractive to thousands of people that they have stayed on in this quiet spot for three days without taking account of their food. They have fasted from food and feasted on Jesus. That’s been lesson enough for me. But more, he knows it. He knows they’ll struggle to get home afterwards. So he caters for their needs. And that comes first with him, their needs.
Oh, Lord, what a feast, what a filling feast it is to sit with you, to delay other things so that I can attend to you, listen to you and be filled. Absolutely and actually filled with all you have to give that comes from your Father. All about your Father choosing to be my Father. Choosing that! Choosing me within his whole purpose! And with that, you attend to my needs. And anyone, anyone at all that I know, that I care for, that I can pray for! Truly, I have much to say grace for when I sit down at my meal.
[1] Exodus 16