Overflowing
Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
The hearers on the
mountainside were weak. They could not journey any further without food. They
could not make it home without fainting on the way. Did Jesus not realize what
was happening? Why does He let them get so caught up in His Word that they
forget the necessities of life? The truth is, He drew them out on purpose. The
suffering, the pain, the fear: none of that comes from Him, but He uses it for
their good. He drew them out to a hopeless point, and then He provided for
them. He taught them that there is only one Place to look for sustenance. He is
Hope for the hopeless.
And yet, here on
the mountainside with grumbling stomachs, the pull of the flesh is so strong,
our depression so intense, that our bones ache within us. Irreverent questions
rise from our hearts to our lips: “So what, God? So what if you performed
miracles and taught great things? So what if the future looks good? Where are
you now? Where are those spiritual and emotional mountaintops? When will you
multiply the loaves for me? I cry and cry up to heaven, but the clouds just
roll on by.”
In our despair, what
importance does this meal have for us? How can we pray for relief when it has
been our prayer for so long, and for so long it has gone unanswered? How many
times have we stood with Phillip: “Two
hundred silver pieces worth of bread is not sufficient.” There is no hope.
While we believe all that the Word says about Jesus, it seems irrelevant when
the black curtain of depression and despair descends upon us.
My brothers and
sisters in Christ: the overwhelming obstacles, the impossible things that have
stopped mere mortals—these are nothing to God. For Him all things are possible.
The victory is His. Sit down and listen. Sit down and wait. God will provide
for in His own way, in His own time. He came to save you, and not only for the
hereafter, but also for the now. He looked upon the five thousand men who had
come to hear Him, and He had compassion upon them. He took care of them. In the
same way, He sees your hurt, sorrow, and grief. He hears you cry, “Lord, I
hurt.” And He replies, “I know. They hurt Me, too. But My Father delivered Me
from the depths of Hell. So, too, will I deliver you. My death is sufficient. It
covers all your sins. The price has been paid in full. Hang on. I love you. I
am here for you where I have promised to be. I am here to serve you. Hear my
Word of life, of love, of forgiveness. Come. Kneel before Me. Let Me feed you
with bread that satisfies your very soul. And know this: I am coming back to
get you.”
He hears you. He
answers your prayers. It is not the bare minimum that He gives you, but neither
does He always satisfy the cravings of your flesh. He knows what is best.
Notice that He did not feed the five thousand with merely enough rations to
ensure that they did not perish there on the hill side, or even just enough to
get them all home again. He gave so much that each person ate until he was
filled, and still there were twelve overflowing baskets left over. Where God
bestows His gifts, human vessels are filled to overflowing. They cannot contain
it. The grace of God is bigger than our need.
So come to Him.
Hear, and your soul shall live! He gives nothing less than Himself, the Bread
of life, His flesh and blood for souls conflicted and suffering under the cross
and awaiting the glory to come. Soon… Soon to faithful and weary warriors, to
the sad and the lonely, to the weak and heavy laden, soon comes rest. So come.
Come and receive heavenly Food, miraculous Love, and Strength for the journey.
Our cups overflow. God is good. In the name of the Father and of the Son (+)
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The peace of God
which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
always. Amen.
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