Advent Devotional 2021
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But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” Luke 9:13 (NLT)
“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” Luke 9:13 (NLT)
Do you like math? I sure don’t! But I can do the math when it comes to five loaves of bread and two fish and quickly calculate that it will not feed five thousand. This story, of what I’m calling “miracle math” is just that, a miracle!
Let’s go back to the first 9 verses where Jesus gave the disciples authority to go out and preach about the kingdom of God and heal the sick. They watched him perform miracle after miracle and now they were sent out by Jesus to do the same. And they did. I don’t know about you but I what an honor and privilege that would have been. I would be ALL IN for Jesus and not question his power and authority ever again.
Now we get to verse 10, where there is a crowd of 5,000 men (probably double that when you count women and children) hanging on to every word Jesus spoke. It was late in the afternoon and tummies were no doubt rumbling. The disciples wanted to get ahead of the complaining that would be coming at dinner time, so they told Jesus to send the crowd away to find food. I love when Jesus replied to their directive with, “You feed them!” Talk about to the point. Taking into consideration all the miracles they witnessed and were part of you would think their response would not be to come up with their own plan. Did they really give Jesus suggestions on how to take control of the situation? Yes they did! Bless their heart! You would have thought when they brought the little boy’s lunch to Jesus they would have waited to see what he would do. But they didn’t. They decided it wasn’t enough, not even stopping for two seconds for him to act.
The is the miracle math I’m talking about! When we put our “not enough” into God’s hand before making our own plan, he can turn it into more than enough. It was an ordinary day with a young boy carrying an ordinary lunch. But Jesus turned ordinary into extraordinary when he lifted the bread and fish to heaven, prayed, blessed, broke, and gave. There was more than enough for all plus leftovers. What “ordinary” do you need to lift to God? Do you believe he can do the extraordinary with it?
Gina Gravatt
Let’s go back to the first 9 verses where Jesus gave the disciples authority to go out and preach about the kingdom of God and heal the sick. They watched him perform miracle after miracle and now they were sent out by Jesus to do the same. And they did. I don’t know about you but I what an honor and privilege that would have been. I would be ALL IN for Jesus and not question his power and authority ever again.
Now we get to verse 10, where there is a crowd of 5,000 men (probably double that when you count women and children) hanging on to every word Jesus spoke. It was late in the afternoon and tummies were no doubt rumbling. The disciples wanted to get ahead of the complaining that would be coming at dinner time, so they told Jesus to send the crowd away to find food. I love when Jesus replied to their directive with, “You feed them!” Talk about to the point. Taking into consideration all the miracles they witnessed and were part of you would think their response would not be to come up with their own plan. Did they really give Jesus suggestions on how to take control of the situation? Yes they did! Bless their heart! You would have thought when they brought the little boy’s lunch to Jesus they would have waited to see what he would do. But they didn’t. They decided it wasn’t enough, not even stopping for two seconds for him to act.
The is the miracle math I’m talking about! When we put our “not enough” into God’s hand before making our own plan, he can turn it into more than enough. It was an ordinary day with a young boy carrying an ordinary lunch. But Jesus turned ordinary into extraordinary when he lifted the bread and fish to heaven, prayed, blessed, broke, and gave. There was more than enough for all plus leftovers. What “ordinary” do you need to lift to God? Do you believe he can do the extraordinary with it?
Gina Gravatt
Prayer focus: Thank God for His provisions
Community prayer focus: Staff at our local schools
Community prayer focus: Staff at our local schools
Favorite Christmas Tradition
One of my favorite traditions is the candlelight portion at the end of our Christmas Eve Service. Hearing Silent Night and watching the darkness become light again as the candles are lit is such a special way to set my spirit right and lead me into the celebration of our Savior meeting us here on Earth. I never want the song to end and I always prolong blowing out my candle. Seeing our Sanctuary lit by candlelight and our church family rejoicing together is always my favorite moment on Christmas Eve.
Heather D.
One of my favorite traditions is the candlelight portion at the end of our Christmas Eve Service. Hearing Silent Night and watching the darkness become light again as the candles are lit is such a special way to set my spirit right and lead me into the celebration of our Savior meeting us here on Earth. I never want the song to end and I always prolong blowing out my candle. Seeing our Sanctuary lit by candlelight and our church family rejoicing together is always my favorite moment on Christmas Eve.
Heather D.