Fifth Week of Lent – Wednesday
Fifth Week of Lent – Wednesday
From Presbyterian Outlook Devotions, Jill Duffield, Editor
Luke 9:10-17
10 On their return the apostles told Jesus all they had done. He took them with him and withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida. 11 When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured. 12 The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.” 13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 They did so and made them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And all ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
The disciples want to send the crowd away. Jesus says instead, “You give them something to eat.” What do we have to offer Jesus that he can bless, break and distribute to feed the needy crowd? Make a list of what you can offer to Jesus so that he can feed others.
Too often, God, we forget that everything we have comes from you. We hoard that which you tell us to share. We send away those whom you tell us to tend. We fail to understand the extent of your power to provide. Thank you for enlisting us in your service of compassion, even if at first we resist. Thank you for allowing us to participate in your miracles of abundance, despite our doubts. Amen.
