“Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it.”
Acts 27:35 (NLT)
Paul is trying to get the crew to take courage. God had already promised through the angel that they would be saved, and now the day is dawning with new light and new hope. But these men have been so consumed by the storm, the wind, and the dangers around them that they have not eaten for fourteen days. Paul tells them to eat, not for his good, but for theirs. That is because faith takes steps that reveal we trust that God has got us.
Paul reminds them that not a hair of their heads will perish. Jesus used the same language while encouraging His disciples not to fear the persecution they would face after He left. He reminded them that they were more valuable than many sparrows to God. Paul is doing something similar and not only tells them to take courage; he models it. He takes bread, blesses it, gives thanks to God, and eats in front of them. Then all 276 are encouraged and begin to eat as well.
This scene points us to Jesus, our bread of life, our sustenance, and our only hope. In Communion, we eat the bread that represents His body, and we remember that He is our life, our completeness, and our wholeness until He returns. In the middle of pain and suffering, we can bless the provision God has given us as well. We take courage by eating of Jesus through Holy Communion, abiding in His Word, and praying for one another.
No matter how hard life gets, how big the storm is, how long we have been without food, or what may come, no one can take away the life Christ has given us or our eternity in heaven. So let us continue to receive our daily bread by reading, praying, listening to, and worshiping through the Word of God. As we do, we are encouraged and show others how to rest in our living hope too. Our eternity is secure in heaven, and Jesus is more than enough to sustain us until we get there. Today, let us take what God has put in front of us and remain encouraged by eating of Him.