Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
July 11, 2021
Read Matthew 14:13-23
13 When Jesus heard about John, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. When the crowds learned this, they followed him on foot from the cities. 14 When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion for them and healed those who were sick. 15 That evening his disciples came and said to him, “This is an isolated place and it’s getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said to them, “There’s no need to send them away. You give them something to eat.” 17 They replied, “We have nothing here except five loaves of bread and two fish.” 18 He said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves of bread and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them and broke the loaves apart and gave them to his disciples. Then the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 Everyone ate until they were full, and they filled twelve baskets with the leftovers. 21 About five thousand men plus women and children had eaten. 22 Right then, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowds. 23 When he sent them away, he went up onto a mountain by himself to pray. Evening came and he was alone.
Good Morning! Trust the fishes and loaves to sustain you!
Most of us have read the story of the fishes and loaves, and even applied it to church or family gatherings many times. This morning I am going to focus on the beginning and end of this passage. As we begin to read, we see that Jesus wishes to get away after hearing of John’s death. He withdraws to pray and think, but almost immediately the crowds arrive. He lovingly welcomes them, shares the word, heals the sick, and even nourishes them with food. Jesus was the consummate host.
In verse 22, he sends the disciples off, presumably to find a place to rest for the night, and dismisses the crowds. Jesus then goes up the mountain, by himself, to pray. After all, this is why he came to this isolated place. He needed time alone, without distractions, to pray and talk to God, his Father. About a year ago, I felt compelled to set aside a time each morning to pray, study scripture, and talk to God. I made a conscious effort to protect this time from distractions and fully committed to starting each day walking and talking with God. As you know, I love talking to people and sharing stories, but my quiet, alone time helps me focus on centering my life on God.
No matter how many other things may be on my plate for that day (and some days my plate is overflowing), I take time for God. This time is not an afterthought when I realize, oh, I should pray, or oh, I should thank God. This has become the foundation for my day! I hadn’t always been so diligent because those distractions always seemed to sneak up and alter my best intentions. My past year, although it has been filled with unimaginable challenges, has been filled with abundant blessings. Undoubtedly, my greatest blessing is spending time with God without distraction.
As children of God, we are called to be a part of the one body, the community of faith, but each of us must find a way to commune with God by ourselves in our own way. Your way might be sitting in a quiet place, or it might be tending your flower or vegetable garden, or listening to the sounds of nature around you. Each of us must find our perfect time or place to free ourselves from our earthly distractions and spend time with God. Be Still and know, that I am God. Psalm 46:10
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. We are often so busy that sometimes days pass before we take time to talk to you. Help us to tune out the many distractions in our lives, so that we may be truly present when we pray and listen. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: How will I prioritize my faith today?
Listen carefully, God is calling you! Pastor Liz