Daily Devotion

John 6:10-13; Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they^[a] sat down, about five thousand in all. ¹¹ Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹² When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” ¹³ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets.

One of the ministries I love at Good Shepherd is provided by our Bereavement Team.  This is a group of folks who organize and serve a meal after a funeral at Good Shepherd for those who attended the service.  The meal is an informal time for folks to talk with and care for the grieving family.  Stories are told, pictures are shared, food is eaten.  It usually feels like a time for healing and remembrance.  All the while this is happening, the members of the Bereavement Team are working behind the scenes, putting out more food, clearing up empty plates, refilling beverages.  

The very last thing the Team members do is to package up any leftover food for the family to take with them.  I love the scene of a grieving family heading home with platters and plates full of food.  I think about how that food will be available as the family continues to grieve and gather together.  The abundance of food going home feels like we are sending them off with a delicious hug.  They are not alone in their grief and that ham sandwich is tangible proof.  It is a visible sign of the abundance of God’s love.

When Jesus fed the 5,000 with five barely loaves and two fish there 12 baskets of leftovers.  I wonder if those disciples packaged them up for people to take home?  The crowds had come to be near Jesus, to hear him teach, perhaps to be healed.  They had been fed physically and spiritually that day.  I wonder if the next day, when their tummies started to growl, if they got out one of the those leftover fish sandwiches.  And I wonder if as they ate that sandwich it felt like a delicious hug from Jesus.  They were not alone in whatever challenges they were facing. 

Our God deals in the scale of abundance.  That’s why there were leftovers.  They were a sign of God’s sustaining love and care.  Evidence that God will provide more than we need, sometimes in surprising ways.  

When have you been surprised by an abundant gift from God?