Pause

When we submit our lives to what we read in Scripture, we find that we are not being led to see God in our stories but our stories in God’s. God is the larger context and plot in which our stories find themselves.

Eugene Peterson in Eat This Book (2006)

Listen

After this Jesus went across the Galilee Sea (that is, the Tiberias Sea). A large crowd followed him, because they had seen the miraculous signs he had done among the sick. Jesus went up a mountain and sat there with his disciples. It was nearly time for Passover, the Jewish festival.

Jesus looked up and saw the large crowd coming toward him. He asked Philip, “Where will we buy food to feed these people?” Jesus said this to test him, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, “More than a half year’s salary worth of food wouldn’t be enough for each person to have even a little bit.”

John 6:1-7

Think

Most days, I feel like Philip. Philip has trouble seeing any possibility that Jesus could feed a hillside full of people. In fact, it’d take six or more months of someone’s salary to purchase enough food for those gathered!

The idea of scarcity (not having enough) versus generosity (having more than we need) is a tension many of us struggle with, I’d bet. What Philip fails to remember is the generous story Jesus has been writing up until now. Surely Philip was present for the healing of the official’s son in John chapter 4. Maybe Philip didn’t get to witness Jesus work wonders at the pool by the Sheep Gate from John chapter 5. Jesus’ example through the first 6 chapters of John’s gospel point to an extravagant and generous story being written.

This day, it’s our job to shake off the fears of scarcity that hold us back and lean into the generous story that Christ is writing in our life.

John Uldrick

Pray

Generous God, help me today as I move from living out of scarcity towards leaning into your generosity. Help me share your generous story with all those I meet today. Amen.

Go

Father, write yourself upon my heart and life – that I may be an open book about you, so that others might read of your unending love on every page. In the name of Jesus, the author of our faith. Amen

Jim Branch in The Blue Book (2016)