8 April 2016 - what good are these for so many?

[ Today's Readings ]

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?”

Your grace is always enough for us, Jesus. But sometimes the actual count of loaves and fish comes up short. We wonder where we can get enough food to feed the people. We are embarrassed even to mention the five barley loaves and two fish. Rationally speaking, it isn't enough for all of these people. Yet they are essential to your plan.

He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.

With miraculous multiplication of the food we might wonder why these loaves and fish are even important. They are of human origin. Why not just directly create the food you want to use to feed the people LORD? Why do you bring us to the edge of our own insufficiency before your grace takes over? On the one hand, it would be more convenient for us to sit back and watch as you just do everything yourself. But then we do not grow. Nothing is on the line for us when we are spectators. As mere observers we don't really have to trust you in the same way that Andrew has to trust you to even mention the five loaves and two fish. 

You call us to the edge, LORD. You call us to our own limits precisely so that we can trust you to surpass them by your grace in us. The world sees the boy come forward with his meager offering and doesn't know what to make it of it. Christianity itself seems like a meager offering in the face of a dark and damaged world. The world is quick to judge the whole thing to be of human origin.

For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin,
it will destroy itself.

But we know it is not. The world just needs to keep watching.

But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them;
you may even find yourselves fighting against God.

 If the world continues to watch they see your grace at work. They see loaves and baskets leftover.

When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” 

Will this happen if we are afraid to come forward with our meager gifts? Well, even then you don't give up. But why leave it to chance? Give us the courage to use the talents you give us so that there can be a rich harvest for the kingdom.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?

I'll bet you were expecting Matt Maher...