pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Blessings

Reading: Matthew 14:13-20

Matthew 13:20 – “Everyone ate until they were full, and they filled twelve baskets with the leftovers.”

This week’s gospel lesson is about compassion, challenge, provision, and abundance. These four things were a part of Jesus’ life and they should be a part of our lives. It is not always easy to practice these four things. As our story opens, it is one of those times. Jesus is grieving and wants to be alone. But the crowds follow him. He could send them away or he could try harder to escape their presence. But, instead, he chooses compassion. This leads Jesus to heal many people. Inferring how many from the rest of the story, I bet Jesus healed every single person who came forward for healing. All.

At the end of his long day, the disciples suggest dismissing the crowd so that they can get some food. Compassion. But Jesus challenges them: “You give them something to eat.” Just as Jesus’ emotional tank was about empty as the day began, the disciples have just five loaves and two fish among them. I imagine there was a very uncomfortable stare, pausing on each of the twelve, before Jesus said, “Bring them to me.” From next to nothing comes provision and abundance. The food is blessed. It gets distributed. We read, “Everyone ate until they were full, and they filled twelve baskets with the leftovers.” All eat. A huge crowd is fed. And all twelve disciples have a basket full of leftovers. A blessing upon a blessing!

The miracles begin with compassion. God works through faith and a willing heart. How might God use what you think is meager – or next to nothing – to feed or clothe or house or heal or… others? Where do you feel compassion? See the need and allow the Holy Spirit to stir your heart. Take on the challenge: step forward in faith and trust. Offering what you have opens the gates for God’s abundance to flow. Where is the need in your world?

Prayer: Lord God, sadly, there are needs all around. Poverty, loneliness, hunger, loss, abuse, illness, oppression – all around. Open our eyes and stir our hearts. Move us to action and service. As we offer what we can, multiply it by your power, O Lord. Use us to bless others. Amen.


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Intended and Designed

Readings: Genesis 1:26-31 and 2:1-4

Genesis 1:27 – “God created humanity in God’s own image… male and female God created them.”

Continuing with the first creation story today, we move into God’s three-in-one nature. The words become “let us” and “in our image.” There is cooperation and conversation around this last step of creation in the first story. Like the sea, air, and land creatures, humanity is directed to “be fertile and multiply.” But God adds another role: to take charge of creation. This task must be done as if God we’re doing it. Created in God’s image, we are to care for this world with love, careful thought, and goodness.

After God created humanity, both female and male, in God’s image, God looked at all of creation, not just humanity, and “it was supremely good.” Now that all was as it should be, all parts and components just as God intended and designed them to be, creation was complete and all of it was supremely good. Work finished in “six days,” God rested. Yes, God rested. This too is part of what God intended and designed for all of creation.

Humanity is most like God the rest of the week when we rest and make holy one day out of seven. The Sabbath, our day of rest, is made holy by turning away from work and other cares of this world, instead focusing on our relationship with and connection to the Lord God. As we delve into worship, prayer, meditation, and actual, physical rest on our holy day, we are renewed and re-energized – ready to care for one another and the rest of creation as if God were caring for it. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to be better image-bearers. In the creation story we see you giving again and again, creating a world that was supremely good. Lord, lead us, guide us, direct us to be a part of your plan to return our world and all of creation to one that is supremely good once again. Amen.