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Sound & Season is a daily audio devotional designed to connect the routine moments of life to the rhythms of the Church seasons.
This is Sound and Season. It's Thursday, 14th day of Lent. Our passage today comes from the gospel of Mark chapter 6 verses 30 through 44. The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught, and he said to them, come away by yourselves to a quiet place and rest a while for many were coming and going and they had no leisure even to eat and they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going, and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them.
Jeffrey Heine:When they went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things, and when it grew late his disciples came to him and said, this is a desolate place and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat, but he answered them, you give them something to eat. And they said to him, shall we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat? And he said to them, how many loaves do you have? Go and see.
Jeffrey Heine:And when they had found out, they said, 5 and 2 fish. Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups by 100 and by fifties, and taking the loaves and the 2 fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing, and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. He divided the 2 fish among them all, and they all ate, and were satisfied. And they took up 12 baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.
Jeffrey Heine:And those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. This Lent, you too are called by God to come away by yourself to a quiet place and rest. And in our resting, we are asked to consider what the Lord has done and is doing for us in his mercy.
Jeffrey Heine:The disciples had been with Jesus for some time now. They had heard his teaching, seen many miracles, the sick had been healed, the storm calmed, even the dead raised, But when it came to the simple dilemma of sustenance, they did not know what to do. How often do we find ourselves overlooking the power and the authority of Jesus in our lives? How often do we run from one place to the next looking for guidance, opinions, quick fixes, and the giver of all good things is ignored in our dashing about. The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is both a matter of historical wonder and a parable about our own dependence upon Jesus.
Jeffrey Heine:Today, whatever the dilemma, the concerns, the struggles, hand it over to the Lord. Receive the blessing of his comfort and see how he will satisfy you with his presence. Lord, hear our prayer, and let our cry come to you. Let us pray. Oh God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, destroyed death and brought life, grant that we who have been raised with him may abide in his presence and his perfect peace.
Jeffrey Heine:May we rejoice in the hope of eternal life with you. O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.