Luke 9:12-13 NASB
[12] Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” [13] But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.”
Dear God, I find it interesting that all three of the synoptic Gospels are careful to link the returning of the 12 after Jesus sent them out with this feeding story. It must have been one of those legendary Jesus stories. “We were tired and Jesus had promised us a break and some alone time with just him. Then the people wouldn’t let us get alone so Jesus taught them. We thought we had a way out because they got hungry so we tried to send them away. But Jesus wouldn’t send them away. Instead, he did this amazing miracle to feed them!
Oh, how I can get a bad attitude when I’m tired. And then I can start to make really bad decisions when I am feeling sorry for myself. But Jesus’ attitude here reminds me of a story I once read about a woman swordfish boat captain. She was one of the characters in The Perfect Storm and she wrote her own book called The Hungry Ocean. It was unique to have a woman captain leading a bunch of men, and the boat owner gave her some advice before her first voyage: “There will come a time when you aren’t catching any fish and the men are going to be tired. They are going to pressure you to go home. Just remember, the captain is the one SOB who won’t go home.”
Father, help me to be the kind of captain Jesus was. Help me to lead and to press on with mercy. Love through me. Provide care for others through me. And minister to me, my spirit and souls in the process.
I pray this by Jesus’ name,
Amen
Emails to God 