Mothers’ Union Devotion Sunday 2nd August 2020

Meditation

Jesus said to them “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

Matthew 14.16

The disciples must have thought they had got it right. They had shown compassion for the people who had walked the long way around to reach Jesus at the deserted place on the lake shore. The people who had waited patiently well into the evening for Jesus to heal them or their loved ones. The disciples suspected that Jesus had lost track of time and so they pointed this out to him with a reasonable solution, whereby each person would be fed.

Imagine their shock at Jesus’ answer – you feed them! I wonder what went through their minds. Does he expect us to go to the village and buy food for them all? Does he expect us to collect enough food for all, in this desolate place? I cannot imagine that they thought their simple offering of five loaves and two fish was all that was needed to feed such a vast crowd.

Yet somehow the disciples accepted what Jesus told them. They brought him the loaves and the fish. They watched as Jesus took the loaves, looked up to heaven, blessed and broke them. After watching this special moment of prayer, they listened to Jesus’ instructions and carried them out. And it worked. The crowd was fed. Not just a small morsel but fed until they were full. So full, in fact, that there were lots, and lots left over.

What a wonderful example for us of how Jesus builds up hope and confidence in those who follow him. The disciples had identified a need and come up with a solution which they brought to Jesus for his approval. Jesus came up with a different proposal, which enabled the disciples to do so much more than they originally thought possible. They were not left alone to carry out this seemingly impossible task. Jesus was there in the middle supporting them, using his power to enable them to carry out their work. His blessing on their gifts enabled them to be multiplied so that many more could benefit from what, at first seemed such inadequate resources.

We can be certain that Jesus will also be in the midst of our projects building up hope and confidence as we carry out our mission as Mothers’ Union members. When we can finally step out into our communities again, we can be assured that if we listen to Jesus’ voice, we will be given the means to see our projects come to fruition. Our humble offerings will be multiplied from on high because Jesus knows that if we have faith in him, we can achieve far more than we ever thought we were capable of.

Prayer

Loving Lord, please feed us with hope and confidence so that we may achieve all that you know us to be capable of accomplishing. Amen

With love and prayers

Revd Sandra