O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
Matthew 16:8

      You have been working diligently for a long time. Five thousand people covered the hills before you and you have watched five loaves of bread and a few scrimpy fish multiply through your fingers as you followed your Master’s direction to feed His sheep.
     Now the work is done. Everyone has been fed abundantly and you are exhausted.
     You are back in the boat on your way to another assignment; and now you are the one who is hungry.
     You look at your hands, they are empty but for a few crumbs. In your service to others you have neglected your needs. Now you don’t have enough to get you through. You think of the multitudes you poured yourself out to serve. They had all they could use and more. You are burnt out in the boat, back to square one.
     But you are in the boat with your Boss, the One who can restore and provide by a mere word.
     And He is smiling at you.
     Enjoy the feeling of knowing that you did your job well. Now you are in a position of solitude and intimacy with your Lord and you have His complete attention. He knows your thoughts and your needs. He begins to joke with you.
     “Remember how many baskets of left over bread we filled after we fed five thousand people with just five loaves?” The God who can make a mountain from one grain of sand is contemplating what He is going to do with the crumbs that are clinging to your fingers.
     Oh ye of little faith, why aren’t you laughing too?

Copyright 2008 by H.D. Shively