27th July 2024
NEW PURPOSE AND STRENGTH
Read John 6: 1 – 21
Reflection from the viewpoint of Deborah, an independent young follower of Jesus.
Everywhere Jesus goes the people seem to find him. Even when we attempt to retreat to the hills it isn’t long before there is a steady stream of people following us and before we know it a crowd has gathered, all eager to hear Jesus speak, many desperate for his healing touch.
Today it happened again but this time we all became witness to something miraculous. Earlier on I heard Jesus ask Philip to organise food for the crowd. Naturally Philip pointed out what a costly and impossible exercise that would be – there must have been well over five thousand people gathered at the side of the lake that day listening to Jesus.
I laughed when Andrew pushed forward a young lad who had offered his lunch – what use were five small barley loaves and two small fish going to be. My catering skills aren’t great but I could see it was an impossible task.
But I’m so slow to learn – with Jesus nothing is impossible. He thanked the boy warmly, and told the disciples to tell the people to sit down as it was time for a meal. Then he simply took the loaves and the fish, blessed them and started to break them into pieces. We quickly gathered the pieces into baskets and began to share them around the crowd. Each time my basket was empty I returned to Jesus and he was still breaking bread and fish into pieces.
It took an age but at last everyone had been fed – men, women and children alike – and there were even leftovers. Twelve baskets of pieces when we counted at the end – nothing was wasted.
How did he do it? I don’t know, but I do know the miracle happened, I was there and I saw it. Life lived alongside Jesus becomes more exciting and more unpredictable every day – I don’t think I will ever get tired of it. I’m not sure where he is right now but we’ve set sail across the lake to Capernaum. Jesus says he will join us later!
We pray:
Jesus, life lived with you is exciting, adventurous and unpredictable as we seek to follow your example and live our lives for you.
Help us to notice the everyday miracles of life as well as the larger life changing events, for you are a God who longs to bless each and every part of our lives, big and small.
Thank you for the joy of following in your footsteps and may we be worthy of your call each day of our lives.
Amen.
Bronwen Braisdell – MWiB Communications Officer
Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash
