Whine or Dine?
As my wife, Betty, and I were reading Scriptures together yesterday as we do every day, I was reminded of a message I wrote awhile back about bread. I pray that it blesses you today!
“Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are [BREAD] for us… the LORD is with us. Fear them not.” Numbers 14:9 KJV
Whine or Dine?
When I was growing up in the country, we had bread with every meal. In addition to sliced bread which we used primarily for the bologna sandwiches we took to school for lunch, my mother, at different times, prepared five other types of bread, biscuits, cornbread, flour bread, sweetbread, and gingerbread. Flour bread was what we called the bread Mama made from flour in a frying pan. Sweet bread was that rare treat which was really a sheet cake with no frosting. Even more rarely, mom would make mouth-watering gingerbread or tea cakes.
Where’s the Bread?
When I was about 23, a friend of mine invited me to a dinner she had prepared in Richmond, VA. I sat at the table and saw several appetizing courses, but no bread! Now, while most people likely used a knife and fork, I was accustomed to having a fork in my right hand and a piece of bread in my left. I had no idea how to manage or digest the food on my plate without bread. My friend, who had also grown up in the country, eventually figured out what was going on but only apologized that there was no bread.
“They [our enemies] are bread for us.”
Bread has often been used as a substitute term for food. The mana the Israelites ate during their journey to the Promised Land was called bread from heaven. In Numbers 14, Joshua and Caleb tried to reason with the people who were afraid to go into Canaan, believing they would be destroyed by enemies who were much larger, stronger, and better equipped for war than they were. Caleb and Joshua used a fascinating analogy to describe their Canaanite enemies.
“They are bread for us.” In essence, we will consume them. Instead of doing us harm, they will be our nourishment. The Israelites had cried all night after hearing the majority report about the giants in the land and complained that they should have stayed in Egypt. They whined and complained against God. But while the people whined, Joshua and Caleb said let go up to Canaan at once and dine! Do you not understand Who is with us? We have no reason to fear them! They are not insurmountable. They are defenseless but essential biscuits, cornbread, flour bread, sweetbread, and gingerbread! With God on our side, we will eat them up! Don’t whine. Let’s dine!
So please don’t worry about what is going on in the world, here at home, or in your own life. God is with us! Those unsettling situations are like the Canaanites. They are bread for us. Now, what are you going to do? Whine or Dine?
Focus Quote: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.”