Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Today’s Scripture Reading  |  Mark 8:1–10
In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat, he called his disciples and said to them, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way—and some of them have come from a great distance.” His disciples replied, “How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them to the crowd. They had also a few small fish; and after blessing them, he ordered that these too should be distributed. They ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Now there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. (NRSV)

Reflection
I can be easily overwhelmed by the amount of need I see around me each day. On my morning run I see people sleeping in every covered spot I pass, as I walk into work there is a person asking for something on every corner. It can be so overwhelming that it is tempting to assume there isn’t anything that I can do to help anyone. There is so much need and I am only one person.

Like the disciples, I am quick to think about the challenges regarding a situation and take more thought and effort to get to creative solutions. “How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?” I relate, “How can my change make a difference in a person’s situation?”

What if instead of questioning the challenges we face, I gave willingly whatever I had and trusted that God will use that to the greatest purpose. I don’t need all the answers before I participate in the solution; all I need is to give willingly. Trust God with the details, there may be a solution that defies everything I think is logical.

Prayer
God help me to trust in your power and majesty. Give me the grace to know that I don’t need to understand everything. Help remind me that you have the power to multiply my insignificant contributions beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you for all the many blessing you have shared with me. Amen.

Written by Katie Patterson, Youth Mission Coordinator

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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