Bread from Heaven

Walking out of Egypt is one of the greatest rescue stories of all time. God’s power was displayed in the 10 Plagues. God’s love was apparent as He moved among them in a pillar of cloud and fire. God’s planning was perfect in Moses. But leaving slavery was hard for the people of Israel. Old ways and old security was set aside. Slavery had shaped the people to depend on their masters. Slavery had made them question their ability to survive and thrive. Now, through the power of God, the people had the freedom to choose. Slavery denies freedom by taking away choice. God had called His people to follow, to trust, and to obey.

Leaving Egypt meant choosing to follow God. Choosing to follow God also meant depending on God’s grace and provision. In Exodus 16, we see an example of the conflict between living in the freedom to trust and choose versus living in the hold of slavery. This conflict shows up in the basic need for food. Leaving Egypt meant leaving behind the food of Egypt. But in the wilderness, it was hard to provide food for themselves. Traveling made cultivation of crops impossible. The land was not the fertile farmland of Egypt. What would the people do? The Israelites were in a hard place. Their first reaction was to complain about the situation. They turned their focus back on where they had come from. Egypt meant slavery, but it also meant someone fed them. It meant a full belly. How would they thrive in the wilderness?

As Moses listens to the people, he responds in exactly the way he should have. He turns to God. He chooses not to allow former thinking and former living to shape this moment. He chooses to trust. As he turns to God, God has an answer for Moses and the Israelites. God will provide bread from heaven. God will daily provide for the needs of His people. God will faithfully deliver. Manna is more than bread. It is the living, active promise of God lived out in every day. Manna is another sign of God’s love. Like a parent who cares for the nutrition and life of a child, God cares for man. For those who choose to trust God, there is hope, assurance, and stability.

In John 6, Jesus points a group of questioning people back to the picture of manna in the wilderness. The people are the same group that made up the five thousand that Jesus had fed with five loaves and two fish. The miracle was amazing. The people followed Jesus because of the miracle. Jesus wants them to see more in the moment. The miracle was not about eating, the miracle was about the love of God. It was about believing that God has the power to take care of His people. Jesus wants the crowds to eat the bread and to see God.

Jesus tells them that He is the bread of life. He is the answer to the needs of mankind. The bread from heaven is a sign that God is providing what man most needs for life. Jesus is that bread. Jesus is the answer for what we need. He is the answer to our sin problem. He is the remedy for grief, pain, and loss. Jesus nurtures our purpose, our direction, our growth, and our strength. The bread of life provides strength for the journey.

You and I are on a journey of discipleship. A journey of transformation. We are called to let go of the past, the slavery that has held us captive. As we let go of the world, we are invited to trust in Jesus. To trust that where He leads is the best place for us to go. We are called to ask our most pressing questions. We are allowed to choose Jesus. It is not always easy, but with the right understanding, the right vision, we can look at life and see God’s movement. We can find forgiveness and reconciliation. We can eat of the bread of life!