DEVOTIONS

Monday, October 17 – “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:14) Jesus was compassionate.  Thus, compassion is a key ingredient for those who follow Jesus.  In other words, if someone doesn’t show compassion, the fair question is if they are really a follower of Jesus.  Or just play one on TV.  How about you?  Are you a follower of Jesus?  Would others describe you as compassionate? 

Tuesday, October 18 – “’How can I set this before a hundred men?’  His servant asked.  But Elisha answered, ‘Give it to the people to eat.  For this is what the Lord says: They will eat and have some left over.’” (2 Kings 4:43) Everything new is old again.  Jesus wasn’t the first to feed a multitude of people with little to no food.  Elisha fed a hundred and Jesus fed five thousand, but the principal is the same.  Just as Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.  For this is what the Lord says: They will eat and have some left over.”  The miracle is found in the faith of the one who is faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles and is still faithful. 

Wednesday, October 19 – “So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” (Mark 6:32) Life is a journey.  In fact, as a follower of Jesus, the journey of life is your destination for life.  Always have goals, destinations in which you are striving to reach.  But never lose sight of the magic, the power, the joy and the possibility that always occurs in the journey.  Jesus and the disciples had a destination of a “solitary place”.  Along the way they fed the five thousand.     

Thursday, October 20 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17) Jesus never did anything new.  He simply did what God has always been doing.  In order to accomplish what God has always intended.  This is important because you may have doubts about believing in something new.  Something that appears to be counter to what has come before.  You aren’t alone.  That is why Jesus shares today’s verse.  Know that Jesus is the fulfilment of what God has always been up to.  A right relationship between God and humanity. 

Friday, October 21 – “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:9) God isn’t looking for your ability.  God is looking for your availability.  God doesn’t need you to do anything.  God invites you to participate in everything.  When you understand this truth, you will never have to worry about not having enough or being enough or knowing enough.  For God is enough. All God wants is for you to participate.    

Saturday, October 22 – “They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” (Matthew 14:20) So, the disciples only had five loaves of bread and two fish, for five thousand people.  Jesus was able to use what they had to feed the five thousand, with more leftover than when they started.  The moral of the story?  It’s easy to have faith when you think that you know how God will provide.  But God often provides in unexpected and undiscoverable ways.