Daily Bread

The most important miracle that Jesus performed was the feeding of the 5000 and, similarly, the feeding of the 4000. The feeding of the 5000 is one of the few events that are recorded in all 4 Gospels. It is also the only miracle that Jesus draws attention to and reminds the disciples of its happening. This was not a circus act, a mere performance, a random display of power, or just a sign of who He is. It was a lesson to be learned and it will do a great deal for our peace, comfort, and security to learn it.

Shortly after the feeding of the 4000, Jesus had an encounter with the Pharisees and Sadducees who were demanding a sign from heaven. Jesus would not perform for them and went on His way. With the confrontation still on His mind, He warned His disciples of the “yeast” of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples, in the meantime, had moved on from the event and were preoccupied with bread or, more accurately, the lack of bread. When they heard Jesus speak of “yeast,” they immediately thought He was chastising them for forgetting the bread. Jesus sharply rebukes this notion:

"You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread?”

Immediately following the feeding of the 5000, Jesus made the disciples get in a boat and set sail for Bethsaida so He could have some much needed alone time. Hours later, He made His own way to Bethsaida via a short cut across the lake walking on the water. Halfway, He met His disciples struggling with their boat against the wind. When they saw Jesus, they were terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost. Mark describes what happened next in the sixth chapter of his gospel account:

Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

Daily bread is a Kingdom reality. It is a non-issue. But the lesson of the loaves goes far beyond the provision of mere food. Its not just about “bread” but encompasses His total awareness of our needs. When we don’t understand this miracle, we become preoccupied with meeting needs that God has already said He will meet. When we don’t understand the loaves, we will worry and fear over things that we should never worry about or fear. When we don’t understand the ease of which God can supply, we will tend to err on the side of safety and security rather than to risk it all for the sake of Christ, His Kingdom and its Gospel. Whether its our small faith or our hard hearts that keep us bound to this world systems and preoccupied with “bread,” it is time to put our full trust into the compassion of our King who says:

"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread, 

and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me; 

hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.”