Monday Scripture and Prayer: John 6
This is a Test. This is Only a Test.
--------------------------
Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee and a great crowd followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick.
When Jesus looked up and saw the crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, “It would take more than six month’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
--------------------------
Those of us who are older than dirt remember when TV went OFF at night.
No such thing as waking up at 3AM and turning on re-runs.
It went slap OFF.
Star Spangled Banner and test pattern OFF.
Back in those dark ages TV stations were required to test the emergency broadcast system at least once a week. ""This is a test. For the next sixty seconds, this station will conduct a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test."
Then, for the longest 60 seconds you have ever heard, the station would blast a warning signal. It was the most annoying sound the world ever heard--at least until we were trying to log onto AOL with a dial-up modem.
The miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 is the ONLY miracle recorded in all four gospels. That makes it pretty important. And John says plainly, it was only a test.
If you start trying to figure out how much a miracle will cost, you have already failed. You will never have enough money to fill the needs of the crowd.
The miracle begins when a child offers the little he has. In Jesus' hands, a little can be blessed to be more than enough.
But the real miracle is that those people--who did not have ENOUGH a few minutes earlier--did not hoard the gift. They gathered up the fragments and shared them with others.
Our leaders are trying to find a way to satisfy the needs of the crowd. They are trying to find a way to pay for ENOUGH. That is what leaders do. That is their job.
You have another job.
Your job is to offer the little you have to be blessed by the hands of Christ. In his hands, that offering will be enough. And that's pretty important.
But the miracle isn't fulfilled until we gather up the fragments to share with those who have nothing. Our leaders cannot pay for that kind of miracle. Only you and Jesus can make it happen.
This corona crisis is a test. This is only a test.
-------------------------
Lord we do not have enough to make it through this uncharted world.
But I do have a little, and I trust you to bless it.
Show me the way to share the fragments with those who are lonely and running out of hope.
Let me show them how to pass this test.