Broken and Given Away
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6:51
We spend a lot of time talking about the Bread of Life. But very few of us eat it. And we wonder at the absence of heaven’s life.
But life doesn’t come from hearing about the bread. Bread only nourishes when we partake.
“It is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the Kingdom, to see God’s children starving while actually seated at the Father’s table.”~ A.W. Tozer
Taste the Bread, beloved. Don’t just nibble on it. Feast. Until you become the very Bread you consume.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:29
You and I are also supposed to become heaven’s bread. Jesus came as the first Bread of many loaves. Bread that multiplies as it’s given away.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus’ miracles that fed hungry crowds both centered around bread?
You may recall that Jesus fed a crowd of over 5000 with a few loaves of bread and two fish.
When the disciples came to Jesus about the late hour and the people’s need for provisions, He responded with an impossible request.
“You give them something to eat.” Luke 9:13
I imagine you and I would have been as perplexed as they were.
They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” Luke 9:13
But Jesus didn’t want them to buy food for the people. He wanted them to feed the hungry with what they already had.
And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces. Luke 9:16-17
Blessed. Broken. Given away. Multiplied.
Jesus was pointing them to the cross, dear one.
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19
Bread that is blessed, broken, and given away feeds and satisfies the hungry. Christ became the Bread to nourish our hungry souls. He invites us to follow His example.
Taste the Bread, beloved. Consume it so you may become Bread. Then let Jesus bless it and break it, so that you may also be given away.
Life and glory flow out through the breaking. Jesus blesses us beforehand, but the breaking releases the blessing. Like Jesus, we must entrust ourselves to God’s hands, allowing ourselves to be broken and given away. Only then will the Bread of Life multiply.
And then it returns to us.
The disciples gave the bread away, and each returned with an overflowing basket. Do you want your basket full, beloved? Give away your bread.
Blessed. Broken. Given away. Multiplied.
There will be pain in the breaking, dear one. Even anguish. Just look at the cross.
But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:13 NIV
I have seen Christ’s vision for His glorious church. Beautiful. Spotless. Without blemish. Alive.
And I see hungry crowds in desperate need of Bread.
Jesus placed the very river of life that flows from the throne of God (Revelation 22:1-2) into our hearts through His breaking (John 7:38). I long to release that river. But it seems it will only flow out through the breaking of my heart.
So break it, Lord. Do what you must in me to set it flowing, to release your river of life from within me. Catch the wounded and broken in its flow; wash and heal them.
I trust you, Father. For with the breaking, there will be a mending. But I—and those you entrust to me—will be changed.
I would not have chosen this path for myself. The path of suffering—of watching those precious to me suffer.
But Jesus didn’t choose His path either. He surrendered to it.
And His breaking resulted in glory.
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