Weekly Invitation July 28
Dear Friends,
What a week it has been… Tuesday night, we again witnessed the power of nature, whirling winds, marble-sized hail, horizontal rain, thunder and lightning. We also saw the power of neighborliness. Folk came out of their homes, walking the streets, to check on neighbors. Some loaned chain saws, others put on work gloves, ready to help wherever they could. It may be a small thing, but for an evening, people who usually isolate themselves inside their homes, came out to connect with neighbors they’d never met before. Broken branches meant extra work, but it also meant that neighbors learned each others names and situations. Will it continue? Maybe not. But next time, we’ll know who to ask for a chain saw, who to check on when the power goes out.
The disciples were having a week. John the Baptist had just been killed, and Jesus was grieving. He wanted to be alone, with God, with his thoughts, with his grief. And the crowds followed him. Imagine it. Put yourself in his shoes. Feel the heartbreak, the exhaustion, see the people coming, “Heal us. Teach us. Take care of us.” Feel the weariness. But Jesus doesn’t hide. he doesn’t take a nap. He’s compassionate. He heals their sick, he teaches them. And when the time comes for dinner, he doesn’t send them away. With just five loaves and two fish, he feeds them all. Thousands of people, fed, and twelve baskets of leftovers collected. (Matthew 14:13-21) A miracle.
Was it a shazam kind of miracle? Did Jesus magically make the bread multiply and grow? Did it happen right in front of people, “I just ate a piece of bread, and it grew back again! Did you see that?!” Did loaves of bread simply appear throughout the crowd? Or was it a “breath of God” kind of miracle, where the spirit led people to share what they had? Does it matter? Not nearly enough became more than enough. A miracle. Perhaps strangers shared their meal with neighbors. Maybe they introduced themselves. Maybe the sick and lonely and hungry who came to Jesus for their own needs, connected with each other. A miracle. Did the generosity last? maybe not. But next time…
This Sunday, we hear the familiar story of the feeding of the 5000 men and their families. A miracle. How has God blessed you in the last week? How has God revealed abundance where you saw only scarcity?
I’ll see you on Sunday,
Pastor Heather
