Hand Outstretched

Matthew 10:29-31 - Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

I spent yesterday with my good friend Sandy. She loves birds and studies them. She’s quite the expert. She’s also an “expert” in Bible scripture...and studies this also. And she is guided by the Holy Spirit of God. It’s always a delight to be with her. 

So as we do when we get together, we have coffee and “perch” ourselves in prominent places at her patio doors watching for the chickadees! She has trained them to eat out of her hand! (I’m going to work on that myself this spring.

Conversation, of course, always veers toward the things of God. It’s just a natural progression. I wish I could take credit for all that I’m going to write but I can’t. That’s okay. Similar things have crossed my mind with different topics and analogies. Some are my own thought. You’ll have to sort out which. Ha ha. 

As we sat at her sliding patio doors watching and waiting for chickadees. I brought up how trusting they are after having trained them to perch on her hand..and visitors’. I added after waiting that long to gain their trust, how could any person possibly even consider doing harm to them? 

Then in Sandy’s fashion, she said it’s like how God treats us. He waits patiently for us to seek and come to Him. Once we’ve gained trust, we find there is nothing to fear about this amazing God. Just like we stood with hands outstretched with nuts and dried mealworms for those chickadees, God does the same, offering us the bread of life! And I’ll tell you, when that bread is received, it is so filled with life...the bread that sustains...the bread of life come from heaven to earth, from Spirit to spirit. HALLELUJAH!

I know the conversation went further. But this is the point I want to make:
We need not fear God. He loves us all too much. His desire for us is to acknowledge Him, trust in Him and also become acquainted with Him through His Word. Jesus is the bread of life. He only wants good for us. Now the good is probably not what we would consider. His good is greater! It comes with greater rewards. It comes with excellent eternal consequences...life. 

The world’s view of good is what the world places the highest reward on right now. It says we are good people on our own merits. Success, wealth, fame, things, sports, entertainment. I’m not saying any of this is bad, but it’s how important these are in our lives. Does God come first?

Just as God’s most important thought is toward us, the most important thing should be our relationship with and thought about God. Plain and very simple. Jesus says this: ...whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)
These verses come right after the opening scriptures. He values us. He values our life and our relationship toward Him. Can we honestly say we are not ashamed of Him? Do people know where we stand with Him? Do people act differently around us? I sure hope so. If someone wants to talk about the Lord, bring it on.

One more thing. I just thought about the prodigal son who left his father and went to live his own, useless life. When he was about as low in life as he could be he chose, in total humility, to return 
home to see if his father would forgive him and take him back. His father had never stop watching for his return. See what scripture has to say next: 
And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. (Luke 15:20) THIS is our Father’s heart for us. Always willing to receive us, whether it be from a long stretch of time away or even just a time of busyness in a day...or from a time in a wilderness; when one returns one’s trust returns and one looks back and realizes the Lord had never left...that His hand had remained outstretched! 

He guides us to Himself by the power of His Spirit. If we heed His call and turn to Him and Him alone and trust in Him, He will be our God, our Father in Heaven. He cares for us more than sparrows. His hand is always outstretched for us.

Psalm 136:1,12,23,25 - Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever... Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever... Who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever.

Full

1John 1:1-4 - That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

The disciples knew Christ. They saw Him, walked with Him, listened to Him. We have not had the pleasure of seeing or listening to the Lord  physically. Some of us have met Him, though. Those who have can relate to this: Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ...while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2Corinthians 4:16,18, Hebrews 11:1)

This is the Christmas season. It’s a time for many to celebrate with parties and get togethers. Along with that is eating (and drinking). Never a shortage of food. Diets are just around the proverbial holiday corner. We get full! Maybe, probably, overfilled, with the food that fills our bellies.

...for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. (Isaiah 55:2)

Remember when the Israelites wandered in the desert? All their needs were supplied. Clothing and sandals did not wear out. They had their fresh manna every day. It came down from heaven. Moses struck a rock and water appeared. Bread and water...

...and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. (1Corinthians 10:4)

I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. (John 6:51)

As the Bible says, life is not about the food and the drink as we tend to think it is. This life, this world will pass away some day. Those who do not have the spiritual food and drink will pass away also, eternally. Those who have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, will not pass away but will live with Christ. 

So, Christmas is a time to celebrate the life of One who gives us all our physical life, but more importantly, eternal life through Christ. We celebrate His birth which led to His life and death...all so we might have life if we choose to acknowledge Him, every day, not just at Christmas. 

John 15:11 - These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

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Bread Which Came Down

John 6:41-51

The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life."

"I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes from down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."


Again Jesus is trying to explain who He is, what is His purpose. We are not much different from these Jews. How many times we sometimes need to hear something before we understand!

He used an example. As the Israelites were fed by bread which came down from heaven in an endless, substantial, satisfying way, Jesus also came down from heaven in the flesh to provide a way spiritually. While the Israelites physically ate, Jesus offers Himself as the bread of life for eternity.

There's a point made that causes confusion. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him. It makes it sound like God has already chosen those who will follow Him and those who will not. It's one of those mysteries we may never understand. Salvation is definitely a spiritual thing. Only by the power of God will someone understand and receive Him. We don't just, on our own, make the decision. We may think we have, but God works behind the scenes of our lives to bring it about. He draws us. Not necessarily with miracles or signs, although that causes belief to rise up, but the final act of His power alone.

It doesn't mean that the word shouldn't be preached. It doesn't mean we stop praying for lives to be saved. There's the scripture that comes to mind to explain this: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. (1Corinthians 3:6). People still need to preach, teach and water, but the end result is God's. He gets the glory for it. God created all with a will and sometimes we will not to believe. It's that choice I so often mention.

So, if God has worked in someone's life and He knows the desire in any one person to receive Christ, He will impart His wisdom and ability to understand. And yet it's still a mystery. I have repeatedly shared how one moment (and it was literally a moment) I was pushing God away until someone said something that utterly caused me to become undone and pliable in His hand. I wasn't saved at that moment, but He had broken through something in my heart and opened it to receive Him the next day! Not my will to receive because I didn't initially want to. Someone had planted, another watered, and this day God gave His increase.

A moment in time where He steps in. I can't explain how. That's what makes God God and we mere humans. I can't ultimately say that by our own openness it happens. He's just always at work behind the scenes. And why some never choose is the biggest mystery of all, seeing how Jesus, the bread of life, the living water, has all we need over the things this world has to offer which can be removed in a heartbeat. But Jesus offers something eternal.

He and He alone is the bread from heaven. I repeat myself. Like the manna came down from heaven...so Jesus came down. Both for the sake of feeding and preserving life. What I did not say here is written in the following scripture...not just the bread but what God proclaims. He sent His Son, Jesus, the Word of God, in the flesh. Receive Him, the bread of life, the Word, receive eternal life. That simple.

Deuteronomy 8:3 - So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.

This Is The Work

John 6:22-33

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone--however, other boats came from Tiberius, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks--when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"

Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then that we may see it and believe You? What work will we do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."


I love the types and symbols in the Word. This is such a wonderful example of that.

So Jesus disappeared for awhile to be with His Father before showing Himself in the sea to the disciples in their boat as they traveled from Tiberius to Capernaum. Imagine what the people must have thought: How did He manage to escape? And they sought Him. How I'd like to see more people seek after Him with such determination!

However, Jesus makes the point after they find Him that they don't seek Him, they seek the food He has to give. A free handout...missing the point. Just like us people. He actually said, "Do not labor the food which perishes." Makes me think that they truly went out of their way to seek Him by crossing the Sea of Galilee! Just my thought...

Then, as now, we labor for food, for our survival. But this is only temporary bread. We will have to continue to work for additional sustenance. It goes on till we die. Jesus was trying to make the point that while we need bread in the natural we also need the bread for eternal life. But He states we need to stop working, striving for it. It cannot be earned. We need only come to Him with right hearts and take what He has to offer.

Like the Israelites in the desert were sustained by bread which came down from Heaven, so Jesus became our Bread which came down from heaven. Oh how we make so much of receiving what He so freely gives. The people above asked, "What work shall we do (asked twice), what sign will You perform" that they would be able to do the right works and believe. Jesus' answer was only to believe, that He was the bread who came down from heaven to give life to the world. Receive Him, receive the Bread.

I'm sure this had to be confusing. They saw Him, they heard Him, they saw the miracles but still found it hard to believe. I thank God that even today when we cannot see Him we are able to believe in what we do not see. By His Spirit He enlightens, illuminates. He makes spiritual eyes to see and hearts to seek. He is who He says He is. He still does miracles in people's lives. The greatest miracle is one we don't immediately see but someday will...eternal life.

He still is our Bread from heaven. Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 38:4).

Isaiah 55:2 - Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.

Manna

John 6:58 - This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.

Praise God. He provides. He has always provided, providing people respond!

In Exodus Israel had been freed from their captivity in Egypt. They knew God had delivered them. They saw the miracles. So off they went, saved from the enemy at the Red Sea. They praised God and worshiped Him for all He had done and they began their journey to the Promised Land. All went well for awhile, like three days! How soon we forget. Like any of us at times, the grumbling and complaining began. It sounded like this:
“What shall we drink?”
“Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
“Give us water, that we may drink..."
“Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
"...but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”
(Exodus 15:24, Exodus 16:3, Exodus 17:2-3, Numbers 11:6)

There is nothing at all except this manna?!? If only they knew. If only people today knew. What more could one want? They had what God knew would sustain them. It doesn't really say but I'm certain God knew they were about to complain. He knew they needed water and He would have supplied, but they grumbled before He could. How often do we wonder just how long it will be before God will provide for us? Doesn't He know our needs already? Isn't His timing perfect?

There's more than just physical food (and water) provision here in this account. We are being shown a spiritual provision analogy also. Jesus is our Bread from heaven. He is the Manna from heaven that Israel ate in the desert. What more could we want? 

When we get to a place in our lives when we are not satisfied with what we have, and it grieves us, or we find ourselves in need, Jesus is there to supply us with Himself...all that we need. For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. (Psalms 107:9) He is the Bread come down from Heaven.

Israel thought as men think. They wanted more. They wanted what they physically knew. They'd just gone through a life changing situation coming out of captivity, but they still wanted what was familiar to them. And so do we. We don't always want the faith in something unseen; we want what we are familiar with.  Every day God is working in someone's life hoping they will recognize Him and seek Him for the bread that will not leave them hungry.

Although they ate this bread for forty years, they didn't always acknowledge the hand feeding them. Jesus' hand is outstretched today wanting to be the Bread in people's lives. He might be offering you that Bread. He offered Himself 2000 years ago for you. He might get you to a place where that Bread, the Manna from heaven, will be just what keeps you alive. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3) He can do this!

He gave them bread from heaven to eat in the desert. What's your desert? Are you in one? He says, I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51) Do you want eternal life? Humble yourself before He humbles you. Don't be counted as the stubborn and rebellious people of Israel who wandered 40 years in their disobedience...then died before entering their promised land. He wants you today. Don't miss what He has for you.

Psalm 78:24-25 - He...commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven, ...rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them of the bread of heaven. Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.