Advent Basket Day 7

Day 7 miniature in my Advent Basket bag? A tiny loaf of bread. I can't remember if I bought it, but I'm guessing I baked it - taking a tiny piece of dough off one of my 6 loaves of bread I grind flour for and bake to freeze regularly. After letting it dry, I probably varnished it.

The suggested scripture to read is Matthew 14:13-21, and the writing says, "We eat bread. Jesus made a lot out of little." All four Gospels tell this story, and pretty similarly too, except John in chapter six.

In the first three Gospels the story follows the beheading of John the Baptist. Last year I did a post titled "Yes". Our church was going through an emotional upheaval and I spent a lot of the Advent season sitting with the nativity setting, putting myself in their shoes (sandals), starting with the genealogy, listening the stories Jesus grew up with, including those of the four women. In the "Yes" post I walked with Mary to Elizabeth's home, and the baby John leapt in her womb, the first to recognize the Incarnate God, in Mary's womb. And now I'm wondering what Jesus felt when he heard of his cousin John's death?

We see a 'moved to compassion' Jesus when seeing the large crowd of people following Him. He knows they want to see more miracles. It sounds like they, the disciples and Jesus, are exhausted. Jesus feeds the crowd. Now beyond just seeing miracles, they're going to want to follow Him for full bellies. I'm imagining this miracle was more for the disciples than for the people.

I posted on Andrew's calendar day about his noticing a boy with fish and loaves of bread. Buy food for all those people? Were there stores around? Did homes always have a lot of bread on hand for someone to buy? Having seen Jesus do all sorts of miracles would my mind immediately turn to the possibilities of all Jesus could do? Do I today, knowing the whole story - that resurrection power - think first of letting go and letting Jesus do?

John 6 carries the story further: Jesus tells the people, who he knows want to make him king so he can meet all their physical needs, that He's talking about a spiritual realm, an eternal kingdom. Beyond manna in the wilderness to the Bread of Life. "My flesh is true food ... whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life" WAIT! That's weird! I'd probably walk away grumbling too, and hungry.

I'm sure glad God drew me! romanced me, wooed me to Him!