Listen

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass there. They sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the bread. When he had given thanks, he distributed it to those who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, each getting as much as they wanted.

John 6:10-11

Think

Three-year-old Jacobi noticed the communion table filled with bread and gluten free crackers. In the middle of the prelude, Jacobi yelled out, “Mom, crackers!” and sprinted down the aisle to the table and grabbed a few. His parents were embarrassed and apologized profusely. We laughed and were comforted by his excitement. The Children’s Minister leaned over to me and said, “What if we were all that excited to come to the table?”

What if we were all that excited to follow and commune with Jesus as those in this passage? Excited to get our fill of all God has provided for us, knowing there is an unlimited amount, even when it seems sparse at times.

Sparsity comes on our end, not God’s. When God feeds, there are abundant leftovers to give out. How often are we sharing love, joy, peace, and hope – with abundance – to the world around us? Or do we find ourselves hoarding it, thinking there just might not be enough to go around?

Timothy Peoples

Pray

Lord, may I understand the simple message, that your love is unlimited and the table is set for all. Amen.

Go

Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.

attributed to John Wesley