Matthew 14:13–21 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 14:13–21 on biblegateway.com
Verse 13Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. Verse 14When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. Verse 15When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Verse 16Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." Verse 17They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." Verse 18And he said, "Bring them here to me." Verse 19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. Verse 20And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. Verse 21And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Devotion
“Send them away.” The disciples’ first response to the hungry crowd makes perfect sense.
There wasn’t enough food, money, or time to solve a problem this big.
Then Jesus says something unexpected: “You give them something to eat.”
The disciples look at five loaves and two fish and see too little. Jesus looks at the very same meal and sees where to begin. I look at my calendar, my energy, my abilities, and wonder
if they’ll ever be enough. But Jesus has never asked us to begin with enough. He simply asks us to bring what we have. And somehow, in his hands, ordinary gifts become more than we ever imagined. Because Jesus doesn’t begin with what we lack. He begins with what we’ve placed in his hands.
Prayer
Gracious Jesus, when I focus on what I don’t have, help me trust you with what I do. Teach me to place my ordinary gifts into your hands, believing that you are already at work in ways I cannot yet see. Amen.
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