Daily Bread

A friend gave me a bread recipe. She titled it "Charlie's Everyday Bread." It was a simple recipe, a bread without fanfare or pomp, suitable for supper or morning toast. It wasn't loaded with seeds or grains, not eye-catching like rye/pumpernickel swirl, and not delectable like cinnamon raisin. Yet, its simplicity made it useful in so many ways. 

God's Word is also called "The Bread of Life." Jesus and the Word are one and His Words in scripture will never leave us wanting. They feed our spirit, guide our thoughts, and command our emotions. He is waiting to feed you. He has something for you. It may not be earth shattering to some, but it will surely sustain you for today. Oh how we need Him every day!

As part of my reading today, I read the story of Peter walking on the water. I always sit up and take notice of Peter in scripture because I identify with him on many levels. He was zealous, sincere, adventurous, transparent, impulsive and mostly blundered his way through life, living fully by learning from his many mistakes. 

It was Peter who corrected the Lord and was subsequently rebuked. It was Peter who cut off Malchus's ear out of his intense loyalty and in defense of the Lord. It was Peter who boasted of his loyalty and then denied the Lord three times.

It was also Peter who wept bitterly over his faults and failures. It was Peter who immediately wanted to walk on the water with the Lord and believed that the Lord could make the water hold him. It was Peter that the Lord mentioned in His first appearance after the resurrection. And it was Peter who received the name "The Rock" from Jesus in reference to building His church. (Sorry Dwayne. Peter had it first.) It was to Peter that God first revealed the inclusion of the Gentiles in His Kingdom when He gave Him a vision and proclaimed all animals clean. And it was Peter who guided the Roman church after the ascension. And tradition reports that it was Peter who requested to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus Christ.

As I read the story this morning, a few things I had never thought of before stuck out to me. 

~The first was the idea of "gradual sinking." The Bible said that Peter BEGAN to sink. I know ships sink gradually, but people? Yet, I noticed that this sinking began when Peter took his eyes off the supernatural Christ and started looking at the terrifying storm. When we lose sight of Jesus, the object of our faith, doubt, fear, and unbelief begin to creep in. We must keep our eyes always on the one who is with us in the storm and believe that the storm will not overtake us.

~After rescuing Peter from drowning, the Bible says that Jesus and Peter walked back together to the boat. As they walked, the storm was still raging. It did not stop until they had re-entered the boat. Yet, Peter who had just a minute before been sinking into the depths of the sea, was at peace. The storm had not changed. The wind had not died down. The waves had not become smaller. Everything was the same except that Peter held tightly to the hand of Jesus and he was at peace. So when a storm develops in our lives without warning, we must hold out our hand to Jesus and say "Lord, save me" and then hold tightly to His hand until the storm passes and we have safely reached the other side.

~After the boat reached its destination, many of the townspeople came to Jesus bringing the sick and feeble to Him for healing "beseeching Him that they might only touch His garment." Sound familiar? Just a few days before, the woman with the issue of blood had been healed simply by touching the hem of Jesus' garment. That story must have proceeded Jesus and the disciples to the town where they were docked. Our testimonies, no matter how big or small are important. We MUST tell them! These are what bolster the faith of others to believe. When Peter and Jesus reached the boat, the disciples exclaimed "Of a truth, surely you are the Son of God!" The townspeople, upon hearing of the woman's healing also knew that Jesus had power to meet their most pressing needs. "And as many as touched were made perfectly whole." Although the Bible doesn't record it, I imagine that those who were healed also went away proclaiming the goodness, the power, and the person of Christ.

I was challenged to go and tell! Tell of the things that Jesus has wrought in my life. Recall the storms that He has brought me through. Recount the times that He touched and healed me in my body, my mind and my spirit. How will they hear if we do not tell? No story is too small, too ordinary, to plain if the hand of God is what brought it about. 

I pray that my dose of daily bread for today will somehow touch and bless you today. Tell me, what did God feed you this morning when you sat at His banquet table? He has prepared something just for you, just for today. It may be simple, but it will fill you and provide all you need for today.