John 6:1-21 (NRSV)
Read John 6:1-21 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 6After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. Verse 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Verse 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Verse 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. Verse 5When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" Verse 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Verse 7Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." Verse 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, Verse 9"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" Verse 10Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Verse 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. Verse 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." Verse 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. Verse 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world."
Verse 15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. Verse 16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, Verse 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. Verse 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. Verse 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. Verse 20But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Verse 21Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
Devotion
There was still some left over! Do you see that? After the disciples worried that there was not enough food for all those people (a worthy concern when you consider how much they had to work with) there were leftovers. Scarcity and anxiety turned into abundance and a promise that there will always be enough.
Isn’t that really the nature of Jesus? Our Lord takes our own short-sided vision and expectations and completely turns them on their head. Sometimes I think we fall into the trap of assuming there is no way forward. Like the disciples who felt there was no way to feed that many people, we often put limits on what God can do for us and through us. Yet, time and again God does more and God is more. Think about it for a moment—when was there a time Jesus did something for you that completely out did your expectations? Really, think. Have it? Now find someone to tell about that God. The story of God’s abundance must be told—and you get to be the storyteller.
Prayer
God of surprises, shake us from our complacency and stir us to be radical storytellers of the ways you fill our gaps and out do our expectations. Where we are limited in our scope, expand us. Where we are sure there is no way forward, show us your ways among us. Amen.