¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. ¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

Matthew 14:13-16

We all know the rest of the story, the disciples gather up a couple of loaves of bread and some dried fish, then Jesus performs a miracle.

But did you notice where I stopped the reading?  The disciples see the issue, it is getting late and the people need to go home and eat.  They go to Jesus with the problem and Jesus says “you feed them; You handle this.”  Then when the disciples respond with the meager meal, Jesus multiplies it to feed the crowd.

Often we see the need and go to God in prayer – which is great, but then we wait for God to respond.  Sometimes the response is for us to do something, or at least begin the process and allow God to add the blessings.

The disciples gathered the loaves and fishes and knowing that this was not enough to feed the people, they went to Jesus anyway.  We are to gather what we have; to bring our meager gifts, ideas and willingness to Jesus and allow Him to multiply them so we can meet the ministry need.

As you journey through this week, see the need, take the need to God in prayer, listen for God’s response and then faithfully do what you can, knowing that God will bless and multiply your actions.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!  Psalm 105:1–2

On Sunday night I sat in the chapel at Princeton Theological Seminary.  The music director led a sanctuary filled with preachers through some songs, most very well-known and traditional.  No matter what we sung, it sounded great.  There is something about a room filled with pastors singing together that warms my heart and moves my spirit. 

Through the service we prayed for our week, for the work we will do, and for our congregations – for all of you who benefit from hearing the word of God preached.  It is important and holy work.

I appreciate your prayers for this week and I pray for all of you as I nurture the preaching within me.

Keep singing, sing praises!

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by. Psalm 57:1

We ask God for help during life’s most difficult storms.  Yet here the psalmist is asking for mercy.  As I pondered this, I began to ask myself a question:

Why should God respond how I want God to respond?  Why should I expect the

Creator/Redeemer and Sustainer of the universe to help me?  Am I so much better than others that God should help me?  Or is my situation so much worse that God should help me?

Then I thought about it a little more.  God’s help is merciful.  However God responds, whenever God intervenes, it is through God’s mercy.  Often, we do not deserve a blessing, but the Merciful God grants it.  Sometime we really need something, and a Merciful God bestows it.

When we ask for God to do something, to heal someone, to intervene in a situation, we are actually asking for God’s mercy.  And when someone around us has a need, we should show the same mercy to them, no matter if they “deserve” it or not.  Our response does not need to be capitulation on their request, but it should be filled with mercy.

Peace,

Pastor Bill