There’s a parable in the Gospel of John I love: Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand.
In this well-known parable, there’s a simple moment and a subtle shift beyond the obvious miracle that can easily get lost in translation if one is only focused on the outcome.
In this story, Jesus and His disciples find themselves in a remote location, surrounded by a crowd of gathered people. Now tired, hungry, and stranded with limited food opportunities, the disciples panic.
But Jesus, already knowing how the scenario will play out, stretches his disciples’ faith, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”
Philip answers, “It would take more than half a year’s wages …”
Andrew adds, “Here is a boy with loaves and fish, but how far will they go …”
*And here’s where the shift takes place.*
Jesus, before taking the loaves … and giving thanks … and distributing food to the people … and before performing His miracle of multiplying-wonder, says, “Have the people sit down.”
Did you catch that? —
the pause,
the stop,
the sit,
the invitation into rest?
Thing is, we, too, find ourselves in remote circumstances from time-to-time, don’t we?
We all get caught up in our crowds of commitments, surrounded by the noise of our meetings, and traffic, and emails, and phone notifications.
We all find ourselves tired, hungry, stranded, limited in energy, strength, and capacity. And of course panic sets in—along with frustration, anger, disappointment, overwhelm, and on and on it goes. Because we’re human!
And we certainly all desire for God to perform a miracle of multiplying-wonder in our lives, am I right?
But here’s the shift:
Are we willing to pause?
To stop?
To sit?
To answer His invitation to rest in the midst?
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”
——————–
As you explore the prompts in today’s newsletter, and as you continue exploring the soul work of rest for this month, consider what area of your life most needs God’s miraculous nourishment.
Invite The Holy into this area.
But instead of fixing your eyes on the much wanted and needed outcome you desire, choose instead to focus on the simple moments and subtle shifts God might be inviting you into, and sit with Him in the midst.
Trust He already knows how the scenario will play out. Feel free to sit down and rest.
—With Joy
Pause for Thought
“In rest, I have the time to discern between thoughts and feelings and desires. Having removed the urgency to act on any of them, I can simply listen to my soul.”
Pause for Practice
Sit with the following parable, reading through it slowly and meditatively. Invite The Holy to draw your attention to one or more things you can linger on, and ask what God’s presence might be directing you to pay attention to: Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand, John 6:5-13, NIV.
“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, ‘It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’
Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”
Pause for Prayer
“Be present with those who watch, or wake, or weep tonight, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend your sick ones, good God. Rest your weary ones. Bless your dying ones. Soothe your suffering ones. Shield your joyous ones—All for your own love’s sake.” Amen.
Source: Morning and Evening Prayers by Cornelius Plantinga, p.5
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P.S. If only God-nudges could be as obvious and as noticeable as these cat ones 🙂
