Simple as a Loaf of Bread
Yesterday I was kneading some bread dough to leave to rise in the fridge over night. I started thinking about the process of kneading the dough. Once you have added almost all the flour to your dough within about 30 seconds it can 'look' like kneaded bread dough, but if you just leave it like that then your bread won't come out as good and I find it tends to go stale faster. If you take the time to continue kneading it though it becomes more elastic and not only looks, but 'feels' like bread dough. My mother, who taught me to make bread, always had to feel a dough to tell if it was 'just right' or not. As you continue to knead, what had seemed to be enough flour you find suddenly isn't, and you are able to work in even more of the flour that really gives your bread body.
Today I found this to be the perfect analogy for my life. Almost every morning I have some time to get in the Bible and read a chapter or two before starting my day. Sometimes this is very brief and can only go as deep as those 30 seconds into the bread making. Today I was lucky enough to be able to attend a prayer meeting at work and while I was there what I had read this morning started to knead itself into my soul. We can get through life on stale bread, but I much prefer the moments of biting into that chewy, but crispy side of life that has real substance to it.
My thought this morning came from 1 Samuel 25. As a brief recap of the story that takes place, David, still fleeing from Saul, is staying in the same land of a wealthy man named Nabal. Nabal has many sheep and land and possession. Some of David's men are dwelling in the land where his shepherds were, and this is what the shepherds said in vs 16 "They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep." Though his men never mistreated anything that belonged to Nabal, and in fact were a protection to him, when David sends a messenger to Nabal asking him for provisions to be shared with his men, Nabal answers arrogantly that he knows no man named David, so why should he give away any of his bread or his sheep to him!
David becomes angry at this man's arrogance and gathers some of his men together to go and utterly destroy Nabal and all of his people. On the way though, Abigail who is Nabal's wife hears of what Nabal did and that David is coming to attack. She gathers together many gifts and supplies and goes out to meet David. She falls on her face in humility and begs for the lives of those people behind her. She asks that all the inequity be upon herself and that forgiveness would be given.
It is quite possible that you, like I myself, have heard of the humility Abigail and how though her humility David spares the people. I have often heard and been told of how that should be our ideal for ourselves. That we should be so humble when going before others. When I was 30 seconds into my kneading I was happy with this thought and ready to go about my day. As it continued to churn though I started to wonder if Abigail is really the one that I am meant to be, or if this story tells me of someone else.
There is a God of the universe that sometimes we don't like to see so we shut out eyes. He asks us to give us our hearts and our lives, but we say, "Who is this God? I don't know someone named 'God' so why should I give him my bread (heart) or my sheep (my life)." In arrogance we push off our creator. We are a people like Nabal who have inequity in our hearts, and God who is like David has it fully in His power to execute judgement on us.
We can rejoice to know that the God who is our David, is also the Abigail that is our advocate.
When God sent us Himself in the form of His Son Jesus Christ, He sent the one out that went before Nabal and asked the the people be spared though Nabal had no repentance in his heart. When God sent His son, He sent Him to a people that had no want for Him. Even we when God is presented to us, we have probably all at some point in our lives turned in arrogance from him. But Christ, pleading the case with God the Father took all of our iniquity upon Himself.
I am not Abigail, God is. Though He could cast judgement righteously on me, He gave it to His Son (Himself) and gave mercy to me and all the people instead.
This is my mental bread as it continues to knead.
And for those wondering about my recipe or the physical bread, I am happy to share that below. This recipe is one passed down and taught by my mother. I remember well her kneading the bread on the wooden table that my father built. I can't promise that the bread will come out quite the same from just reading a recipe. After all, as my mom would say, "You have to just be able to feel the dough".
Mom's French/Italian Bread
This recipe makes 3 loaves of french bread.
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 table spoons suger/honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or canola if that's what you have)
- 5 cups all purpose flour
In a large bowl combine water, salt and sugar/honey. Sprinkle yeast over the top and let it sit to proof for 10 minutes. Once the mixture has proofed, you can chose to add oil or not. If you add oil, it will be 'Italian Bread', while traditional 'French Bread' has no oil added.
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Begin adding flour in one cup increments. In the beginning you will be able to mix with a wooden spoon, but as more flour is added you will have to switch to kneading it with your hands. Once you have all the flour in continue to knead by hand for at least 10 min.Once you are to the point of kneading, you can either continue to knead the dough in the bowl, or sprinkle some flour on a surface like your counter or table and knead it there. Add flour as needed to keep dough from becoming sticky, but still maintaining elasticity. By the time the dough is almost ready, it will be fighting back.
Dough is kneaded, form into a bowl and place in a large bowl and cover with a light towel or bag to rise. Again, depending on if you want italian or french bread, you can choose to add a little oil to the bottom of the bowl and flip the dough so there is some oil on each part or not.)
Let dough rise 1-2 hours until dough has doubled in size. Dough can also be put in the fridge to rise slowly overnight, but remember to leave extra time for the dough to warm the next day before you try to roll it out.
Divide dough into 3 sections. Using a rolling pin, spread each section of dough out into a large rectangular sharp, and then roll in the same way that you would if making cinnamon rolls. Place formed loaves on a pan and using a knife put 3 slashes on the top of each loaf, then cover again with a light down or bag.
Let loaves rise for half the amount of time as you did the first rising (30min-1hr).
Preheat
to 450.
Put loaves in the over and spritz the walls of the oven with a spritzer bottle filled with water. After 3-5 minutes spritz again. After 5 minutes spritz once more and turn down 375 and let it bake for another 10-15
minutes.
Remove bread from oven and let cool. Enjoy!
