Abundance in the Wilderness

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray. Mark 6:30-46 

Often times, these days, it feels like there is not enough. There is not enough time to accomplish every thing that needs to be done. There is not enough of me to respond to the needs before me. I feel like I only have  small amount of skills and gifts which will not stretch to meet the needs where I have been called. It is at this time that I recall that God doesn't need a big heroic act to make miracles happen. Miracles happen among the small things, the daily offerings we can give.

Jesus is seeking out quiet and is followed. I suspect he has feeling drained, as we often do. But the needs of the people made him respond, their lack of direction as well as their empty stomachs. The small lunch, packed for one person for one or two meals, became the miracle of every belly full and satisfied. Often we hold back because we are sure what we can give is not enough. We are invited by God to share what we have, trusting that God will make miracles out of the offerings we have, no matter how small.

Today I ask God to help me offer what I have and then trust God to provide abundance. May we not hold back because of our lack but trust God always to provide the abundance.