Notes to the Lord: Need meets Intention

Scripture Reflections: Matthew 15

³²Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."

³³His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?"

Lord Jesus--As I write this it is the middle of the night and I am awake again...reading, and writing and talking with you while music plays in the background. Insomnia is something that you knew a little about...you stayed up all night to pray.

As I think of these people who were all around you...they were surrounding you with need. You could sense their need. You had healed their sick and now the hunger of the crowd was so thick in the air that it could almost be tasted. You could not see those eyes that were newly opened and so full of hope come to harm for lack of food at this moment.

You did not send them away without meeting their need...there had been celebration in the air, but now there was immediate need...hunger. Lord Jesus--you knew thier need that day in that deserted region between the Sea and the mountains not too far from Magadan. You remind me tonight that you did not turn these people away in their need nor will you turn me away in my need. Lord Jesus speak to me tonight.

Lord Jesus--You fed these needy people even though these two incidents of mass feedings became the 1st century equivalent of a sound bite repented endlessly out of context and twisted in a knot and stood on it head. Thank you that you still met their need even knowing what it would ultimately cost you. The road to the cross runs right straight through the feeding of the five thousand and the four thousand.

³⁴"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked."Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish."³⁵He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. ³⁶Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people.

Lord Jesus--You were thankful for the far too little bread and fish for too large a group. I see the little and you see the possible...forgive me Lord for allowing myself to be overwhelmed by the little in the middle of the very place where faith has enough room to work.

³⁷They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ³⁸The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children. ³⁹After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

Lord Jesus--There are those who believe that the real miracle was the you helped people to share what they all already had...if that was what happened that would have been a pretty big miracle. But that leaves the miracle in the hands of the people. I have no idea how you met the need that day on the lake, it overwhelms me that you care about the needs that confront me. I know with out a doubt that you are able to meet whatever need is waiting for me in tomorrow light.

Lord Jesus continue your work inside me.