“When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread.” ~ Matthew 16:5 (NIV)

It’s probably safe to say that the above verse hasn’t been part of most Bible memorization plans. 

When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread...  Thrilling, right?  I can't believe no one has thought to put that on a T-Shirt or bumper sticker yet?!?

While on the surface this detail doesn’t seem like much, I found myself asking, “If it’s so trivial, why mention it at all?”

To be fair, Jesus does use their mistake as a teaching lesson (see Matthew 16:5-12).  However, while Jesus does leverage their forgetfulness as an opportunity to teach – He didn’t cause it.  Their forgetfulness opened an opportunity for Him to teach on something that they may not have been able to receive on a full stomach. 

That’s classic Jesus, right?  He’s in the business of redeeming our mistakes and blunders, shortcomings and forgetfulness as an opportunity to receive from God what we’d be unable to receive at other times and in other ways. 

But as wonderful as that reminder is, it isn’t what I want to stress here.  Even being reminded of God’s redeeming nature, I still find myself wondering, why did God see it necessary to include within His holy and inspired word, that the disciples forgot the bread?

I think it may have to do with what took place in the chapter right before. 

At the end of chapter 15, Jesus does a miracle – He feeds 4,000 men (not counting women and children) with just seven loaves of bread and a few fish.  In fact, Jesus doesn’t just feed the crowd; He makes sure they feast!  Everyone ate until they were satisfied and full.  No one walked away hungry.  (Matthew 15:37). 

But, as if that weren’t generous enough, not only did Jesus make sure everyone had plenty to eat, He made sure there was more than enough.  The text says that after the meal was over, they collected seven baskets full of leftovers.  (Matthew 15:37)

Did you catch that? 

After the feast, after well over 4000 people ate until they couldn't eat any more, there were seven baskets of leftovers.

The miracle wasn’t just that there was enough food for that day; the miracle was there was more than enough bread for the next few days as well. 

Do you see where this is headed?  In the very next chapter, when we hear that the disciples forgot to take bread when they got back in the boat, what did they really forget?  They didn't just forget some random bread; they forgot the leftover bread. 

Let me put it another way: they forgot the miracle.  They left behind the blessing. 

In the franticness of life, in the frenzy of going from one thing to the next, amidst the stress and anxiety of the conflicts they were facing, the disciples forgot the miracle – they left behind the blessing of Jesus’ leftover bread. 

This makes me wonder…

How many miracles have I moved on from unknowingly? 

How many gifts of grace have I forgotten too easily?

How many blessings have I left behind too quickly?

If the disciples could experience that kind of miracle and walk away from it as if it were nothing, we too must be careful not to take for granted the grace that God shows us every single day.

But here’s some good news: Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35) and He never goes stale.  We may not always be able to retrieve the miracles we’ve left behind, but that doesn’t mean we can’t remember them and be revived by their memory. We can’t necessarily retrieve those blessings as they were first received, but by remembering them, we can rejoice again and again in the God who is always more than enough for us. 

Even when we've moved on, walked away, and all but forgotten God's past blessings, there's still opportunity for hope, for remembering, and rejoicing. 

When I go out to eat, I have an annoying tendency to box up my leftovers, get distracted, and walk away only to leave my boxed-up leftovers on the table. 

It’s one thing to do that with our leftover pizzas or burgers, but when we do that with God’s blessings, with Gods’ above-and-beyond and more-than-enough goodness, well, that’s another thing altogether. 

So, may we become people who remember the goodness of God, long after the gift has been given.  And when we move on, as we all must do, may God’s good, ‘leftover’ blessings continue to bring joy and fullness wherever we go, to whomever we meet.

This week, take a moment to reflect upon and remember God's kindness at work in your life.  Play that old song that always reminds you of His favor.  Tell that story that almost always brings you to tears.  Take the time to remember those blessings.  Take some time to enjoy God's leftover blessings.