Today’s Omer Count: Day 20

Friday we sought to answer the question, What is it? referring to the grain that is counted in the omer. Today I want us to begin answering the question, What does God’s Bread provide? Luke 24:35 states: “Then they [themselves] related [in full] what had happened on the road, and how He was known and recognized by them in the breaking of bread.” In this familiar passage Jesus has been crucified, risen from the dead, and making disturbing appearances throughout Israel. It’s always interesting when people attend churches or gatherings different than their own. Afterwards they will often remark that they were disturbed or uncomfortable. Guess what? If Jesus is there – He is going to make you uncomfortable. Note that in this account the two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus have already been disturbed through the horrific crucifixion of Jesus, and the even more disturbing news that Jesus had risen from the dead.

A.W. Tozer once stated: “If God cannot disturb us, He cannot move us. If He cannot move us, He cannot save us. If He cannot get us concerned about the things of God, He cannot do anything at all for us”. Walter M. Miller, Jr. wrote: “When you tire of living, change itself seems evil, does it not? For then any change at all disturbs the deathlike peace of the life-weary.” 

I would say that when our walk with Jesus becomes comfortable, and the Word and Spirit of God no longer disturbs us – we have settled into the graves of comfortability. We have grown tired of living for Christ and His Word. This results in our seeing change, and disturbance as evil. This is a sad commentary on not making the grain of God’s Word count. It’s quit disturbing us. We have rocked ourselves to sleep in self-congratulatory delusions of who we think we are losing sight of to Whom we belong.

Yet these disciples on the Road to Emmaus were kept from recognizing Jesus. When did they recognize Him? And it occurred that as He reclined at table with them, He took [a loaf of] bread and praised [God] and gave thanks and asked a blessing, and then broke it and was giving it to them. ³¹ When their eyes were [instantly] opened and they [clearly] recognized Him, and He vanished (departed invisibly). (Luke 24:30-31) They recognized Him when the bread was broken. Funny how we refer to opening our Bibles like we’re cracking eggs: “Crack open your Bible to…” We can’t truly count the omer, or make the omer count until we’ve allowed the Word of God to be broken for us. At the birthing of the New Testament church a common practice was for them to meet in homes and “break bread” together. This implied more than eating a meal. It was a deeper reference to something far more profound: fellowship and communion. They were handling the Bread of Jesus (His Body), sharing Him with one another. His broken bread doesn’t become your bread until it’s broken in you. The Word is made flesh – in your life. This Bread, His Bread, allows you to see Jesus – in your life and others. Now the question remains, Are you disturbing to Jesus? Better yet, Are you disturbing the devil?