THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus
Monday, March 7, 2025

Lord, on a warm spring day, weary crowds gathered to hear your good news of the Kingdom of God. Scripture tells us that you saw them as “sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). The people clung to every word during your lengthy sermon because your message was what they needed to hear. As the sun began to set, the people would soon need food for the evening.

Mark’s Gospel states that the disciples suggested, “Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat” (Mark 6:36). This seemed like a logical idea, one I probably would have agreed with. I can only imagine the astonished looks on their faces when you told them they would feed the crowd of five thousand men, plus women and children. While the disciples looked at the same crowd, they saw them as hungry individuals with needs they felt unable to meet. The meager offering of five loaves of bread and two small fish would barely feed them, let alone the entire crowd.

Did the disciples forget who they were with? You took what the disciples provided, blessed the food, and miraculously multiplied it to feed twenty thousand hungry people. They even had leftovers.

Lord, this story stirred my spirit and prompted me to look inwardly. “How do I see people?” Do I recognize their needs for what only you can provide? Am I encouraging others to look to you for the solutions, or sadly, do I tend to “send them away?”

Give me your heart of compassion, your spirit of mercy, and your kindness toward all. Use me to show everyone in my world that you are a welcoming Savior who will never push anyone away (John 6:37). Amen, Jesus.