Episode 26

TODAY’S READING:

14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were leftover.

Matthew 14:14-20

 

Good morning! Another week of this crazy year, and I am ready to welcome it with arms wide open.

 

This story in the bible is so powerful. Every time we read, it can speak to us in a different way. I labeled this devotional He is Big, Yet He is Close because I wanted us to break this story down into two sections. 

 

You see, Jesus is the God of Miracles and the God of Relationships. He is Big, yet he is close and intimate. I love this story so much. It’s a reminder that Jesus can perform miracles. He fed 5,000 people with just 5 loaves of bread and two fish. 

 

But something really stood out to me when I read this today in regard to our current situation. It says, “Jesus saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, and healed their sick.” We are still fighting this virus. In Miami, the numbers are increasing daily. Maybe you are from an area where the numbers have been controlled, but the virus still looms on our earth. My prayer today is that we, as the body of Christ, continue to pray for our land. We pray for our earth, and we pray for our sick. Together we need to form a crowd. Jesus has compassion for us. I know sometimes you may not think so. Maybe you have a friend in your life that always questions. “Well, if God was so compassionate, why is he allowing this?” 

 

The answer is simple. We live on earth, and viruses are nothing new. But Jesus can heal, and he can use all of this for His glory. So while he uses this time to heal broken homes and families, we can come together and pray for our land. Healing will come.  

 

The second part of this verse is that while we healed the crowd, he still then attended to everyone’s personal needs. They were hungry, and yet with the little they had, He was able to feed them all. 

 

Bring your little ____ to God and see what He can do. This principle can be applied to every area. Bring your mustard seed of faith and see how that can multiply. Bring your little dream, and watch Him transform it. Bring your little health, and watch him heal you. 

 

Jesus will heal a crowd and feed you at the same time. 

 

PRAYER

Jesus, you are the God of miracles. Continue to heal our land. Continue to shape us into stronger, more unified people. Use this generation. Use the people on this earth right now to make a difference for generations to come. While you use the masses, we thank you for also being a God of relationship at the most intimate level. Jesus, we give you the little that we have, and we pray you to multiply it. Guide us, strengthen us. We trust you! It is in your Holy name that we pray! Amen!