Follow The Food

As we sit at our kitchen table we enjoy looking beyond a small creek at grazing goats and

horses eating breakfast and lunch while we do. [Different menu, of course.] Just inches

from each horse a white cattle egret is always present, busy eating crickets, flies, grasshoppers and spiders that the grazing horse stirs up while moving about the field. We’ve learned that cattle egrets follow the food source.

Hey, most humans and animals do the same: follow the food.

Dust storms in the Dirty Thirties damaged millions of acres of farmland in the Plains states, causing a quarter-million “Oakies” and “Arkies” to load their jalopies with a few personal belongings and migrate to California to pick fruit for meager salaries. Better than starving.

For several years drought has been devastating several northeastern African nations – Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia - with mass migration numbering past 11 million starving refugees seeking food. However, they have no California.

When Galilee’s spiritually starving masses discovered that Jesus could heal and feed, they followed him like a shadow. His popularity escalated so high the people were ready to force this new prophet to be their king. [John 6:14,15]  California had come to them.

In a synagogue, a bold spokesman pressed for a miraculous sign so Jesus could prove he was God’s son, reminding him that God gave bread from heaven in the form of manna. A teachable moment for Jesus – answering the request of a clueless crowd in six words, “I am the bread of life.” [v. 35] The answer prompted what Jesus expected – an uncivil war of words.

When they came up for air, he went for the knockout blow, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” [v. 54]  Whoa! Many “no longer followed him.” [v. 66]  Forget this flesh and blood menu. We prefer fast food – the McJesus happy meal - fish and bread.

It was not until his final supper with the 12 that Jesus returned to this subject – body and blood. While teaching in the synagogue Jesus had more in mind than communing with him in a memorial meal, but participation in the Lord’s Supper is a tangible means of fellowship that believers regularly have with Jesus. We follow the food – the bread and cup - to remember our dying, resurrected, reigning savior – Jesus the son of God.