Daily Bread 2011 - Matthew 14
Daily Bread Together – Monday – Matthew 14
Verse of the Day: 14:18-21
“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
What Does This Mean?
As Jesus continues to teach his disciples on how to participate in God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is heaven, he begins to give his disciples a more active way of being involved. In this case, there are thousands clamoring for Jesus, despite his intention of getting away to a quiet place. The disciples want to send them away, but Jesus sees it as a teachable moment!
Jesus responds bluntly, “You give them something to eat.” I am sure this is not what they wanted to hear, and they respond that they have very meager resources to accomplish this overwhelming task. Jesus says, “Bring them here to me!” After giving thanks for the two fish and five loaves, he gives them back to the disciples to re-distribute to the 5,000 hungry people. Miraculously everyone is fed, and there are even “leftovers”.
What Does This Mean For Us? Oftentimes in our lives when we see the huge amount of need all around us, we want to throw our hands up and say, “Send them away there is nothing we can do!” I’m sure we can all relate to the disciples who are thinking, “Can’t we just get a break!”
It is in those moments more then ever that we need to offer what we have to the Lord and let Him do what He does best … multiply. Some of my best sermons have been when I have nothing in the tank and say, “Okay Lord this one is all about you I got nothing left!” Okay, I know that is a trivial example, but maybe you can relate. The bottom line is all Jesus asks for is for the disciples to make a decision to give them what they have and he does the rest.
While we need to have boundaries on how many we can care for and how much to give of ourselves, God will often ask us to “give them something to eat”. In those times as we give God and Jesus what we have, He will multiply our meager offerings and do something special with it. Who knows, there may even be leftovers!
Jesus as we see the needs around us sometimes it is overwhelming. Help us to maintain the compassion you had for those in need and as we offer you our two fish and five loaves we know you can do way more than we can ask or imagine. Amen.
Verse of the Day: 14:18-21
“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
What Does This Mean?
As Jesus continues to teach his disciples on how to participate in God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is heaven, he begins to give his disciples a more active way of being involved. In this case, there are thousands clamoring for Jesus, despite his intention of getting away to a quiet place. The disciples want to send them away, but Jesus sees it as a teachable moment!
Jesus responds bluntly, “You give them something to eat.” I am sure this is not what they wanted to hear, and they respond that they have very meager resources to accomplish this overwhelming task. Jesus says, “Bring them here to me!” After giving thanks for the two fish and five loaves, he gives them back to the disciples to re-distribute to the 5,000 hungry people. Miraculously everyone is fed, and there are even “leftovers”.
What Does This Mean For Us? Oftentimes in our lives when we see the huge amount of need all around us, we want to throw our hands up and say, “Send them away there is nothing we can do!” I’m sure we can all relate to the disciples who are thinking, “Can’t we just get a break!”
It is in those moments more then ever that we need to offer what we have to the Lord and let Him do what He does best … multiply. Some of my best sermons have been when I have nothing in the tank and say, “Okay Lord this one is all about you I got nothing left!” Okay, I know that is a trivial example, but maybe you can relate. The bottom line is all Jesus asks for is for the disciples to make a decision to give them what they have and he does the rest.
While we need to have boundaries on how many we can care for and how much to give of ourselves, God will often ask us to “give them something to eat”. In those times as we give God and Jesus what we have, He will multiply our meager offerings and do something special with it. Who knows, there may even be leftovers!
Jesus as we see the needs around us sometimes it is overwhelming. Help us to maintain the compassion you had for those in need and as we offer you our two fish and five loaves we know you can do way more than we can ask or imagine. Amen.
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