Children's Bread

At our homes, whenever we prepare any delicacy we set aside the major portion for the enjoyment of our children. Often even after they have feasted we keep apart a small portion of their favorite dish so that our children may enjoy it afterward.

Jesus said “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11 & Luke 11:13 From this verse it is evident that our Heavenly Father too sets aside the best heaven has to offer for His children. The best that Father God has is His Son and His Holy Spirit both of whom He has given for us. (John 3:16 and Romans 8.15)

Who are the children?
Romans 8:14-16 says
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
14….those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

According to the above Bible verses, it is those that are led by the Spirit of God and have received the Spirit of Sonship that are children of God. (It goes without saying that to be led by the Spirit of God you have to be in Christ Jesus.)

Romans 8 identifies the children of God. None can claim to be children of God because you have Abraham as your father (Jew), or because you have been born of a Christian family, or have a long lineage of God’s ministers or even because you have lived a life par excellent. No wordly claim can be made to your heavenly position.

God the father has sovereignly make known through His Word who His Children are. His word is final and the Truth. The Spirit of Truth testifies within those who are the children that they are the children of God.

Who is the children’s bread?
You read correctly. I did not mean what is the children’s bread but who. This is because according to the Word of God the children’s bread is a person. Do not take my word for it let us examine what Jesus himself had to say concerning this.

Matthew 15 relates an interesting conversation that took place between Jesus and a gentile woman. This is a very familiar passage to all students of the Bible.

Matthew 15:21- 28 21……. Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." 23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." 24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. 26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." 27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

In verses 24 and 26 Jesus speaks of himself.
Verse 24 he says that He was sent for the lost sheep of Israel. In verse 26 he says that it is not right to toss children’s bread to dogs. Jesus himself says that He is the children’s bread.

The gentile woman initially came to Jesus with the understanding that He is the Lord, a divine person and the Son of David, a royal descendant, a King. However, Jesus reveals himself to her as the children’s bread. (It was hard teaching for He spoke in parables [Matthew 13:13-14] but the woman understood unlike many Jews and so partook of the kingdom blessing. Elsewhere Jesus had said that “…….the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it”. Mt 11.12)

Within this scripture portion (Mt 15:21- 28) is hidden a great mystery of the gospel. Jesus says I am the bread that you my children are to partake of. I am available to you as nourishing food whenever you need me. You need not cry or fret. See I have given you of myself for your full and complete enjoyment. Eat of me and you will not lack anything. Even if we are the ‘gentile dogs’ “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

Jesus says I am your strength, your healer, your joy, your protector, your fortress, your shield. I am everything you need in this life. I am life. If you feed on me you will have abundant life. You need nothing apart from me. So continue to feed on me daily. I am your early morning bread and I shall sustain your throughout the day.

I am your king and I rule by feeding my children, the citizens of my kingdom with myself. You can be my people and children only if you feed on me and are nourished by me. As my children feed on me, they walk in the kingdom blessing.

Now we have seen that according to the Bible which is the ultimate word of God, Jesus is the Children’s Bread. So let us be diligent in feeding of him. From now on, I hope we would contact the Lord every day with the realization that He is the children’s bread. To eat Christ as our supply is the way to be the kingdom people in the reality of the kingdom.