Right There With Us
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered"
She
was completely focused on the top shelf, where the glass jars of
spaghetti sauce sat. I’d been standing beside her in the grocery aisle
for a minute or two eyeing that same shelf, trying to decide. But she
seemed oblivious to my presence, lost in her own predicament. Now I have
no problem with top shelves because I’m a fairly tall man. She, on the
other hand, was not tall, not at all. I spoke up and offered to help.
Startled, she said, “Goodness, I didn’t even see you standing there.
Yes, please help me.”
The disciples had quite the situation on their hands—hungry crowds, a remote place, and time slipping away—“It’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food” (Matthew 14:15). When challenged by Jesus to take care of the people themselves, they responded, “We have here only . . .” (v. 17). All they seemed to be aware of was their lack. Yet standing right beside them was Jesus, not just the multiplier of bread but the Bread of Life Himself.
We can get so wrapped up in our challenges and trying to figure them out for ourselves with our often-limited perspective that we miss the abiding presence of the risen Christ. From remote hillsides to grocery store aisles and everywhere else in between, He’s Immanuel—God right there with us, an ever-present help in trouble.
The disciples had quite the situation on their hands—hungry crowds, a remote place, and time slipping away—“It’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food” (Matthew 14:15). When challenged by Jesus to take care of the people themselves, they responded, “We have here only . . .” (v. 17). All they seemed to be aware of was their lack. Yet standing right beside them was Jesus, not just the multiplier of bread but the Bread of Life Himself.
We can get so wrapped up in our challenges and trying to figure them out for ourselves with our often-limited perspective that we miss the abiding presence of the risen Christ. From remote hillsides to grocery store aisles and everywhere else in between, He’s Immanuel—God right there with us, an ever-present help in trouble.
Today's Reflection
How can you increase your awareness of Jesus’s presence? Why is it vital for us to gain His perspective in what we’re facing?
I truly love this devotional. It's very true not being aware of what's standing right in front of you. Sometimes, God has given us a gift and we miss it because life get's the best of us and overwhelms us and we end up missing it. We need to be taking small moments throughout our day to pause and remember what the Lord is doing for us and what he wants to show us. My mom has some really amazing stories about moments when she really wasn't expecting God to show up and he did through a complete stranger. What a wonderful reminder.
ReplyDeleteGood reminder to look around ourselves once in awhile, and re-focus our sights outside of our own needs.
ReplyDeleteTaking time to be alone and apart is important to gaining the necessary perspective. We get so busy that we forget to do this simple thing. It is also important to talk to other believers and Jesus can speak to us through them.
ReplyDeleteSo many times in my life, I have missed help that was right in front of me, I have forgotten to ask for help, or I refuse it when it is offered! I need to trust that God give us the help we need, whether we realize it or not.
ReplyDelete