Meals and Relationships (John 6:1-14)

Today's scripture: John 6:1-14

I love food. All kinds of food. And even though my diet is a bit limited, I still enjoy sitting down and enjoying a good meal with family and friends. There's something about the "event" of a meal that makes me very happy.

Jesus' feeding of the 5000 (plus women and children) makes me smile. Not only because it was a miracle—and it certainly was—but also because it illustrates His heart for relationship.

Picture it: A huge crowd of people has come to listen to Jesus speak. Some have come with their families. Others are there with friends. Still others may be all alone.

It's been a long day, feasting on the words of the Teacher. They're all feeling spiritually fed. But now stomachs begin to rumble and grumble. It's well past lunch time. No one wants to leave, however. They might miss something.

"Did you bring any lunch?" one questions another. "No snacks? No fruit?"

What to do ...

Then a murmur spreads through the masses. Jesus is telling them to sit down and wait. In what seems just a matter of moments, disciples come by with baskets full of fish and bread. Everyone takes enough to be comfortably fed.

As they eat, people begin to chat with one another, finding topics of common interest, making new friends. They talk of the coming planting season or the best places to fish. They talk about family backgrounds and future hopes.

Then another murmur begins.

"Did you hear?" "Hear what?" "All this food came from just a handful of fish and a few loaves of bread!"

"Seriously?!" "Yes! Jesus has performed another miracle! A miracle to feed us!" "Yes, and a miracle to unite us."

In our busy world, sitting down to a meal with others can be its own miracle, in a sense. But Jesus still provides us with food to sustain our bodies. He also provides us with relationships to sustain our hearts.

The next time you join friends or family for a meal, thank Jesus for the food, certainly, but also thank Him for the ones with whom you're sharing that meal.