FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Beyond the Finding”

The miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is truly an awesome story!  I’m not saying that just because it’s cool or because it’s the only miracle outside the resurrection that’s found in all four gospels.  Those things are true, but they don’t make the story awesome.  What makes this event so awe-worthy is that we get to see so much of God reflected in Jesus.  

If you’re not familiar with the story, you can read it in John 6:1-15.  The miracle itself is amazing: Jesus takes 2 fish and 5 small loaves of bread and stretches it to feed 5,000 men plus women and kids and has enough leftovers to fill 12 baskets.  Cool, right?  But the miracle, as phenomenal as it is, isn’t really the awesome part.  That comes when you see the choices Jesus made that day.

The Messiah’s day started with a solo trip across the Sea of Galilee.  Actually, it started with news that His cousin and ministry partner, John the Baptist, had been killed by King Herod.  Jesus was trying to get some alone time to mourn His friend.  He hopped in a boat and headed across the sea.  But wherever Jesus went, the throngs followed.  

Now here’s where Jesus makes His choice.  Me, I love alone time.  I get very little of it.  I grew up an only child.  I yearned for playmates, but after years of being by myself, I got used to it.  Now as a wife, mother, and pastor, I find I need periods of absolute alone time to function my best.  I think if I had been in Jesus’ sandals, seeing those crowds in pursuit, I would have put in for bereavement leave.  “Sorry, y’all, but my cousin just died.  I’ll be back tomorrow.”  He would have been completely justified in keeping everyone else at bay.  

But that’s not what Jesus chose to do.  He saw their need—mainly broken and misguided hearts—and prioritized them over His own wounded heart.  He chose to sit with them and share God’s truth.  That’s AWESOME!

After awhile, it becomes apparent that everyone’s going to need to eat soon.  Jesus asks the disciples what the best solution to this problem would be.  I’d have taken this as the perfect opportunity to get rid of everyone.  “Rabbi, we all know you need some time by yourself.  This seems like the perfect transition opportunity to send these folks on their way.  Buh-bye!”

But that’s not what Jesus chose to do.  He saw their need—basic hunger—and used this as the perfect chance to show how God provides above and beyond what we need when we trust him.  AWESOME!!

Jesus really showed us what some of the Father’s characteristics are: his love for others, his passion for how they’re feeling, his desire to lavish his love in abundance.

Is that the God you worship?  I’m so glad Jesus reminded us, because I know there are times when I start focusing on the wrong parts of my relationship with God.  I focus on what I need to do for Him as opposed to who he wants me to be.  Using tonight as an example, I knew I needed to write this devotional.  At various points in the evening, my mind screamed that I needed to lock myself in the office until it was complete.  But I realized my family needed me.  So I prioritized a library field trip, pizza with extended family, and enjoyed part of our favorite read-aloud.  It’s later than I planed, but I am getting this blog wrapped up.

What are ways you can reflect the AWE-someness of Jesus?  How can you prioritize the real needs around you?  In what ways will you display the awesome love of God?

End your time together by calling out different ways that God has revealed his awesomeness to you and your family.