Unleavened Bread

Well, the Days of Unleavened Bread have come to a close.  God gives us such a great object lesson at this time.  Really, make leaven represent sin and then try to stay away from it.  It seems simple enough, but it is quite difficult.  

This year I did a better job than usual of removing leaven from our home and cars.  I tried to remember the places I had missed leaven in previous years - lunch boxes, diaper bags, etc.  Right before the first evening I found a box of crackers in the pantry and promptly put them down the garbage disposal.  And honestly, I only found one small chunk of leavened food under our couch during the Days and one small chunk afterwards that was obviously there throughout.  

So, at home we didn't slip up and eat leavening.  But when we went out in the world, it was a little harder.  At park day someone brought a pinata for their daughter's birthday.  That seemed harmless enough.  But, there was a leavened treat in there.  I almost didn't even recognize it.  It had long biscuits to dip in frosting.  I was going to have my daughter share one with the baby and I said to just give her the stick, "It's like a cracker."  Wait!  What?!  It's like a cracker!  Don't eat that.  And while I was dealing with this, one of my son's was eating a birthday cupcake.  It's always something.

And then there is the spiritual value.  A friend made some good points on yearning for leaven (sin) during these Days.  We had our leavened meal all planned out for the moment these days were over.  It was in the car right at sunset.  So, obviously that represented yearning for sin, just as we do at times in life.  God is so good to give us a chance to really focus on the prevalence of sin in our lives and this world.