Bread That Doesn’t Spoil
Have you ever bought a loaf of bread and before you could eat it, the bread had gotten moldy? Maybe you haven’t if you live in a household full of people, including lots of growing children. But as a single gal like me, a full loaf of bread will most definitely mold before I can eat it all. Of course, I’ve been told I can freeze it to preserve it, which doesn’t appeal to me. When I’ve done that before, the bread is never as good as when it’s fresh from the store. I’ve even tried those sandwich bread thins and they also will spoil fairly quickly. Given this issue, I’ve resorted to using flour tortilla wraps that have much better staying power to make a “sandwich.”
I’ve often thought that it would be great to have manna from Heaven again like the Israelites had in the wilderness. According to Exodus 16, every morning the ground would be covered in fine flakes of bread from the Lord that Moses told the people to collect. But, only to collect enough for the day. Like a typical Israelite, they collected more, trying to keep more than they needed, and it spoiled - just like my loaves of bread. Even though I think I’d be a very obedient manna gatherer, knowing me, I’d be like an Israelite and hoard more than I needed, worried that the next day I wouldn’t receive that daily bread. Oh me of little faith.
When Jesus came to earth, one of the miraculous signs He did was to feed 5000 people. Honestly it was probably more like 8,000 to 10,000 since the five thousand only included men, and not women and children. Jesus took five loaves and two fish, gave thanks, and there was enough food to feed everyone, with 12 baskets of food remaining. Many of us are familiar with that story, but what is so significant is what John recorded in chapter six of his gospel that Jesus declared to the disciples.
The disciples went looking for Jesus and found Him in Capernaum. Jesus said they were looking for Him, not because of the signs He performed - like feeding the 5000 or walking on water - but because when they ate the loaves they were full. He began to correct them and explain that they needed to work for food that is eternal and not for food that will perish. The disciples, being schooled in their own history, remembered that their ancestors received manna to eat in the wilderness and they thought that’s what Jesus was about to do. The poor disciples always thought they had Jesus figured out, but alas, they never did. Jesus reminded them that Moses didn’t give them bread to eat, but the Father sent Jesus . It was right after that statement, Jesus announced, “I am the bread of life, no one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.” - John 6:35
No one could understand this puzzling statement of Jesus declaring himself the Bread of Life. We see as He faced death on a cross, Jesus shared the Passover meal with His disciples. When He passed the bread, He told them “this is my body - take and eat” (Luke 22:19), He was preparing for His body to be broken on the cross. The bread symbolized His body broken for you…me…and everyone who believes Jesus is the Son of God and follows Him. It likely made no sense around that Passover table, but after Jesus’ death and resurrection, things became clearer in the eyes of the disciples. Jesus is the Bread of Life.
I’ll be the first to admit you can’t make a good, old-fashioned PB&J using a flour tortilla wrap. Reaching into the loaf bag to grab slices of bread for that sandwich, only to find a spoiled loaf of bread, is so discouraging. But what I’m reminded of when that happens is that Jesus is all the Bread that I need. No amount of carbs in this world can satisfy. He is my sustenance for life.
The next time you find that moldy bread headed for the trash, remember the Bread of Life that is our only hope in life and death.