BREAD CORN IS BRUISED.

The delicious aroma of home-baked bread greeted our daughter and son-in-law as they walked into my kitchen. Who could resist the tempting whiff of fresh bread.

It filled the house, and I knew these two were waiting for me to say,

‘Help yourselves.’ The result was instantaneous, as I brought the butter to the table, with three of us enjoying those delicious bread rolls. Of necessity, I said,

‘These are supposed to last for a week,’ as they reluctantly resisted the appeal to eat just one more.

Bread. Simple food. Nourishing. Necessary for a healthy diet, but bought at great cost, not in dollars and cents, for bread corn is bruised.

The grain of wheat lying in the darkness appeared to die. With the rain soaking the soil together with the warmth of the sun, the tiny seed split open, and from the depths a green shoot appeared miraculously pushing its way up through the soil. The seedling eventually grew to a stalk with its 50, 70 or 100 grains. The harvester cut the stalks, threshing the wheat, and bagging the grain, which eventually arrived at the mill, where it was bruised and crushed.

Without the bruising and crushing there would be no flour for bread: nor rolls to tempt the palate, to nourish and sustain us, and give strength when we feel hungry.

Jesus said, ’I AM the bread of life.‘ We may exist and grow as a Christian when we enjoy the nourishment of our Lord‘s life, as written in the bible. It is wise, imperative and life-sustaining to eat by faith all the words of the Lord Jesus, all the life of the living Lord, through the energising power and enabling of the Holy Spirit.

Yet the cost of that spiritual, life-maintaining, bread is not easy to fully comprehend. Our Lord’s rejection. His misrepresentation. Misunderstood by those closest to HIM. Testing. Sorrow. Unbelief in His own town and family. Denial of HIM. The ultimate, the cross. ’He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities.’ Yes, bread corn was bruised.

To be bread to the hungry and needy of our community and world, we, too, must accept bruising. Somewhere in life we experience what our Lord faced, except, of course, the cross.

Once over lunch, J. Oswald Sanders told us of Mrs Fred Mitchell, wife of the former director of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF ). Her husband, returning from Singapore to England, changed his flight at the last moment, embarking on the Comet. The plane descended for refuelling in New Delhi. It eventually took off for the flight to London; but five minutes later it exploded. The Comet crashed and all passengers and crew perished.

We understand the natural devastation of this dear lady at the unexpected loss of her beloved partner. But after the initial shock and mourning, she began to consider ‘How can I use this grievous happening to help other widows?’

Mrs Mitchell commenced reading the newspapers , and writing to those recently widowed. She comforted them and other friends in a similar situation. This ministry grew, helping so many by her understanding, compassion and care.

Yes, bread corn is bruised- but how it feeds the hungry. Who, but God, could measure the bread, spiritual and material , that this dear lady shared with lonely and grieving ladies in England.

Bruised bread corn yields loaves of nourishing food.

Our Lord was bruised when he died on the cross for our sin. But thanks be to God for the power of the Holy Spirit, for HE was raised from the grave; and HE is the living bread Who nourishes us through His Word.

Please read Isaiah 28:28 ’Bread corn must be ground.

Therefore He does not thresh it forever.’

Isaiah 53:5 ‘HE was wounded for our transgressions.

HE was bruised ( crushed ) for our iniquities.

The chastisement of our peace was upon HIM.

By His stripes we are healed. ‘

Gwenda.