2 Kings 4:42a A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain.
This miracle is incredibly reminiscent of Jesus and the loves and fishes, and the themes of scarcity and provision to the point of abundance are so timely for me. I feel like I am not enough, I can’t do enough, I can’t take care of enough, my efforts this semester are never enough. And I temped to think that perhaps I’m the bread in this metaphor, and maybe in part I am. But I’m the whole loaves—definitely not enough to feed all the hungry. It is not until the bread is broken and shared that the miracle occurs. Something happens in the breaking of the bread.
2 Kings 4:42b-43a “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said. “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked.
Perhaps that breaking is metaphorically when I realize I can’t do it all on my own, that I truly am not enough, not complete without my Savior? What I do know is that the bread, unbroken, unshared, isn’t enough, that it is only when we allow ourselves to be broken (or when we recognize our brokenness, our incompleteness), only when we serve others, that we can break the chains of independence and self-sufficiency of this world. Once we are broken of our stubborn self-reliance, God can work in us and through us.
2 Kings 4:43b But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’”
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for this change in perspective. I am so conditioned to seeing brokenness as a problem. Thank You for helping me see that You are in my brokenness, that You can take all my broken pieces, all my crumbs, and use them for Your glory. Help me to shine Your light. Draw me closer. Amen.
2 Kings 4:44 Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.
Have a blessed day.
My faith, my life, my teaching–it's all a work in progress.