“He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks; bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.” Isaiah 33:16
Buried within the body of the Lord’s Prayer is the first petition to God. “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). On the surface, it represents a tangible, practical need. As one looks at the context of this request, however, it shows a dependence on God. It is an acknowledgment not only of His beneficence, but of His sovereignty. How often we run through this prayer, reciting the various phrases, as it has become so well known. How underappreciated its core is. If we would parse out each segment, it would be richer and more meaningful.
The Bible has allusions to bread. Bread-like matter appeared during the Hebrew sojourn in the wilderness. Upon request for something to eat, God, in His mercy, dispensed manna, referred to as the bread from heaven. It related this latter reference in the New Testament as an attribute of Jesus Christ.
Later in the biblical exploits of Christ, two stories related to the dispensing of bread. At first glance, one may think that it was the same story retold twice in different versions. However, Christ’s query to the disciples was a rebuff to their lack of faith. He clarified that indeed there was a miracle where there were 5,000+ individuals fed from 5 loaves of bread and 4,000+ individuals from 7 loaves of bread (Matthew 16:7-12), besides the small fish made available and likewise compounded for fair distribution.
Food plays a major role in day-to-day life. It also can be a source of potential conflict and misunderstanding. Case in point is one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings chapters 6 and 7. The Syrian army laid siege to Samaria, the capital of Israel. A siege placed a hard stop on the influx and egress of all traffic, whether commercial or personal, including the supply of food. After an extended period, the inhabitants of the city were at an expected breaking point, starving and quite vulnerable. Through divine intercession and intervention, enemy soldiers fled the scene in the twilight, but unbeknownst to the city’s occupants.
However, a group of lepers, banned from contact with city and village occupants, also found themselves to be starving. They reasoned food was not in the city, but amongst the opposing force. They chanced that in their dire condition, approaching and requesting from the hostile foe would be a risk worth taking. As they approached the encampment, they found the initial soldiers dead. As they surveyed, they not only found them gone, but food abounded! They relished in their discovery and ate until reason overtook them. If discovered, their ultimate state might be worse than when first presented.
So it was when our team arrived in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We first stayed in a recreation center, as it was convenient to settle and regroup after the military transport flight. As we had left our home state in a rush, we had packed the basics, including clothes and toiletries. Most of us packed enough food for 48 hours, expecting it to be provided once we arrived. I assume others, like me, had forgotten that this was a disaster that we were reporting to, not an annual training exercise.
Sure enough, our meager provisions ran out as we “checked into” our new quarters, an abandoned hospital. At first glance, it appeared to be a typical hospital with one caveat. Because of the impending hurricane, staff abandoned the facility with some floors still having blood and excrement on them. Our priority was to find food after we settled in. We chose several for the latter duty and dispatched throughout the hospital in search of sustenance. We found a treasure trove of snacks that various employees had stashed away, including in the administrative suite. Despite our personal hunger, we, as the lepers, realized that our find was for the greater good of our team. Our collective effort stocked a room, which we henceforth designated as our pantry. There was so much food; any teammate could find what they needed.
Days later, our leaders established a cafeteria complete with a cook. Though we appreciated it, the bottomless pantry was one highlight of our stay.
God cares about our spiritual and our physical needs. He will provide in amazing ways when necessary. I trust Him to do that and invite you to trust Him as well.