A Meager Offering

Read John 6:1-14 - the feeding of the five thousand

Turning to Philip, he asked, "Philip, where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" (He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.) John 6: 5-6 (TLB)

Many years ago, Eugenia French Shaver, from Texas, assisted a local church with a children's musical that told the story of the feeding of the five thousand. They used some stage tricks to make this miracle come to life for the audience. But Jesus didn't need stage tricks.

A young boy who had five loaves of bread and two fish offered his meal, meager as it was for such a large crowd. In the hands of the Son of God, it fed the entire crowd with 12 baskets of food left over. Jesus transformed that boy's offering into something much greater! The people immediately recognized Jesus as a prophet.

It is easy to overlook the deep concern that Jesus had for the welfare of his listeners in this story. Jesus knows our needs and through God's power provides for us. Even in the midst of the seemingly impossible, Jesus cares and provides.

God calls us to be Christ's hands and feet to transform the world. What can we offer that Jesus can transform? A meal? A hospital visit? A telephone call? A few hours of volunteer service? When we offer what we have, we can trust Jesus to transform it into a gift from God.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the miracles described in the Bible. Help us to offer what we have, trusting that you will continue to work miracles in the world, in Jesus' name. Amen.