Ordinary Time

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

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. When they had plenty to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves that had been left over by those who had eaten.

John 6:10-13

Think

I’ve often wondered what it would be like to witness a miracle. Would I even recognize it if I were given the opportunity? As I think back on my life, I wonder if I’ve missed any miracles that were happening right in front of me. I do have two grown-ish children, and I witnessed both their births. Both of those events were so awesome they stole my breath.

I wonder what the disciples were thinking as they loaded up the baskets with leftovers. Did they even recognize this event as miraculous or did they just think it was another event in the day?

My hope for you and me today is that we’ll hold our heads up and expect to see a miracle from God. Hopefully we’ll be paying attention and see it.

John Uldrick

Pray

God of miracles, help me trust in your goodness and power. Help me to see all the ways you are still at work each and every day. 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)