Devotion - Tuesday, February 3

Most of know the story of the Feeding of the 5,000.  It is one of the few stories in all four of the gospels.  There is a second story told only in Mark and Matthew.  The story if very much like the first; this time there are 4,000 who are fed.

Most students of the Bible quickly see images of Holy Communion in these stories.  Jesus takes the bread and breaks it and all are satisfied.  All are satisfied and there is plenty left over (12 baskets full in one instance, 7 in the other.)  This image assures us that there will be no end to the bread which satisfies us.

It is a comforting thought, to be assured of enough bread to eat.  

Where is the hunger in your life?  For what do you seek satisfaction?  How might these stories assure you of God's desire to make you full?

I am not one of those poly-antic preachers who would make the claim that God meets our every need.  Death comes; hunger is real; abuse continues.  But I am one of those who can witness to the desire of God to provide all things, I am one of those who can witness to the ability of God and God's people to hold us up when we are weak and to fill us when we are empty.  Those things happen best in my life when I acknowledge my need and come to God to seek assistance.  That should not be heard as a pre-condition to God "feeding," rather as an acknowledgement that is it very tough for God to help us when we continue to seek our salvation from another source.

Jesus takes the bread, breaks it, and the crowd who had followed him was satisfied.  Hold that image in your head and in your heart and see where it might take you.