Jan 22: Insight Post by Rusty Coram
Weekly Reading: John 6:1-14, Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44
Wednesday Reflection
Jesus Cares About Our Physical Needs: Before teaching the crowd, Jesus recognized their need for food and provided for them. This reminds us that Jesus cares about every aspect of our lives, including our physical needs, and He is willing to meet them.
Wednesday Verse
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NLT)
Wednesday Questions
In what areas of my life do I need to trust that Jesus cares about my physical or practical needs? How can I bring those needs to Him in faith?
Wednesday Insight Post
by Rusty Coram
Some people, as soon as they hear about a miracle credited to Jesus, put on their skeptic hat and cry “foul.” They think that the miraculous is something that the ancients, uneducated, and gullible fall for and normal and savvy people don’t. On one hand, I get this reasoning. There are many stories of phony faith healers and sleight-of-hand charlatans who have deceived people to get into their wallets. However, the stories of miracles that Jesus did have a very different flavor. First, He never marketed Himself as a “miracle man” with a traveling roadshow and aggressive finance collection team. In fact, we never see Him ask for money. Jesus does do supernatural things like feeding the multitude with only a tiny, donated lunch, but we see in the story that this was not done to impress but to inspire, mainly His disciples, to always trust God to meet their needs. In John 6:5-6 we read,” Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” 6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.” (NLT) Jesus wants Phillip and the other disciples to understand that as long as they trust and obey the Father, He is ready to meet every need. The twelve baskets that were left over meant each disciple had a tangible token of the lesson.
For me, this story has been both indicting and encouraging. There have been times in my life when my concern about resources has caused me to doubt the direction God was leading me toward. Like Phillip, I could do the math and see I didn’t have the means to accomplish the task. Times like this require humbly determining if God is leading and if He is, then it is on Him to provide and for me to follow. Once I have decided to put His interests in the first place, I am in position to see Him provide all that is needed. This miraculous meal is a reminder and signpost pointing to the One who will give us all we need to do the work He has called us to.
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. 20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.” Philippians 4:19–20 (NLT)
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor