Flash, Magic, and Bread

Before leaving for Las Vegas for my niece's wedding, I received tourist advice from previous visitors. Several insisted I see the Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, and Grand Canal of Venice on The Strip. “Awesome! Just like the real thing!” they promised. So I went. I saw.

The problem with their advice is, I have seen the real Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, and Grand Canal in Europe. And, I'm sorry, but the Vegas replicas are not just like the real thing. Visitors who have never experienced the real thing may accept them, but they are unaware of the true majesty they're missing.

Jesus felt a similar frustration with the people who followed him after his miracle of feeding over 5000 with a bit of bread and fish. He knew they sought him for the flash and magic and food, not the Kingdom he offered.

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

Jesus replied,“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:32-35 NLT

His words in John 6 promised they might never hunger again. Their response throughout the whole encounter? Free food I don't have to work for? Sign me up, Jesus! They saw their own imitation version of the Grand Canal – Jesus would effectively take away that curse on the first man to have to work and sweat for daily bread. It sounded like a great deal.

But Jesus held out the real thing. He offered the majesty of The curse reversal –the one that had to do with destroying sin and death. He offered His sacrificed body for a kingdom of new life. And they were happy with the quick show of bread crumbs.

I scorned replicas of the great European landmarks because I knew their counterparts. And settling for the fakes seemed as hollow and false as the rest of that strip of buildings when one had experienced the real thing.

But I wonder how often I settle for a replica of the life God has offered me. Sustenance for feast. Security for trust. Achievement for acceptance. Pleasure for joy. Existence for adventure. The fakes of this world are made to look very convincing. It takes knowing the real thing to know the facade when we see it. 

Jesus, don't always give me bread. Don't always give me safety, security, and sustenance. Always, give me You. Nothing else will ever be real.

Copyright 2016 Jill Richardson. Used by permission.