Miracle Loaf
April 4, 2007
Miracle Loaf
And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish. And there were five thousand men who ate the loaves. (Mark 6:41-44)
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Have you made bread lately? I mean, have you really made bread lately? In Jesus’ time it was a complicated process. First the wheat had to be grown. A plot 10 feet by 10 feet would yield 10 -25 loaves of bread. Seeds were thrown out in a fanning motion and left to spout, but the plot had to be watched since birds and disease could easily destroy of a crop. (http://waltonfeed.com/old/wheat.html)
When mature, the stalks were threshed or hit on stone to remove the grain. Then the grain was winnowed, a process of removing the chaff and small bits of straw by pouring the grain from one container into another while standing down wind. (http://www.breadinfo.com/flour.shtml) The milling was usually done by hand with a rolling stone, or in large affluent households, using an animal driven grinder.
Next, one had to capture the leavening agent, wild yeast, by setting out a water and flour slurry. In a few days you have a “starter” colony with which you could add more flour, sugar, and water, form into loaves and bake. (http://www.cox-internet.com/jpwright/sourdo.htm) So when everything was said and done, it took months of growing and labor to produce a loaf of bread.
Wow, just on the basis of making one loaf of bread, the miracle told in our passages was a very big deal. We tend to look at this story on the grand scale. We can hardly fathom looking at 5000 one-dollar bills, let alone enough bread to feed 5000 men with their families. Yet, by focusing in on the miracle of one loaf to one person among the 5000, we may acknowledge God’s presence in our own life. Did one man out there in the multitude listening to Jesus’ words experience a personal miracle by receiving the bread and fish for he and his family? Let’s hear a resounding “yes!”
Personal miracles are big deals. They strengthen our faith and provide strong testimony of God’s working in us personally. 18 years ago this month I was diagnosed with cancer, and though now my immune system is delicate, I consider my presence today to be a great miracle. Once my husband got a surprise bonus check right when our finances were strained. That was a big personal miracle.
Today, take time to remember a personal miracle “loaf” that occurred in your life and thank our father in heaven for it. You’ll not look at bread the same way again.
Miracle Loaf
And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish. And there were five thousand men who ate the loaves. (Mark 6:41-44)
**** ****
Have you made bread lately? I mean, have you really made bread lately? In Jesus’ time it was a complicated process. First the wheat had to be grown. A plot 10 feet by 10 feet would yield 10 -25 loaves of bread. Seeds were thrown out in a fanning motion and left to spout, but the plot had to be watched since birds and disease could easily destroy of a crop. (http://waltonfeed.com/old/wheat.html)
When mature, the stalks were threshed or hit on stone to remove the grain. Then the grain was winnowed, a process of removing the chaff and small bits of straw by pouring the grain from one container into another while standing down wind. (http://www.breadinfo.com/flour.shtml) The milling was usually done by hand with a rolling stone, or in large affluent households, using an animal driven grinder.
Next, one had to capture the leavening agent, wild yeast, by setting out a water and flour slurry. In a few days you have a “starter” colony with which you could add more flour, sugar, and water, form into loaves and bake. (http://www.cox-internet.com/jpwright/sourdo.htm) So when everything was said and done, it took months of growing and labor to produce a loaf of bread.
Wow, just on the basis of making one loaf of bread, the miracle told in our passages was a very big deal. We tend to look at this story on the grand scale. We can hardly fathom looking at 5000 one-dollar bills, let alone enough bread to feed 5000 men with their families. Yet, by focusing in on the miracle of one loaf to one person among the 5000, we may acknowledge God’s presence in our own life. Did one man out there in the multitude listening to Jesus’ words experience a personal miracle by receiving the bread and fish for he and his family? Let’s hear a resounding “yes!”
Personal miracles are big deals. They strengthen our faith and provide strong testimony of God’s working in us personally. 18 years ago this month I was diagnosed with cancer, and though now my immune system is delicate, I consider my presence today to be a great miracle. Once my husband got a surprise bonus check right when our finances were strained. That was a big personal miracle.
Today, take time to remember a personal miracle “loaf” that occurred in your life and thank our father in heaven for it. You’ll not look at bread the same way again.
posted by Karen Vaughn | 2:14 PM
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