Abundance

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

ABUNDANCE

Matt 15:32-39

32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."  33 His disciples answered, "Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?" 34 "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they replied, "and a few small fish." 35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 38 The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children. 39 After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

NIV

This is a continuation of the narrative Matthew records about Jesus landing on the other side and a crowd following him on land and how they brought all the sick and those with infirmities to Jesus and he healed them all. This would have taken some time, perhaps the better part of three days, as Matthew records, and Jesus was concerned about the people having something to eat. In fact, it is recorded that He had compassion for them. This is the second time Jesus fed thousands with just a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. Sometime later Jesus talks about the yeast and his disciples did not get it, and he reminds them of the two times he used so little to feed so many to the point there were leftovers to be gathered up. Jesus does not skimp, but when he provides, He does in abundance. We can testify to this abundant provision of Jesus throughout our journey with him over these past forty-plus years. Jesus has never stopped having compassion on us and seeing to it that we have always had enough, to the point of having leftovers, which would relate to us being able to share that abundant provision. At times, it does relate to food or other material things, but His abundant provision can be applied to many aspects of life. His provision could apply to wisdom or understanding and or knowledge. His abundant provision could apply to either the gifts or the fruit of the Spirit, and this could be incorporated into love. Because He loves us abundantly, we should have enough love leftover to share that love of Christ with others. The Spirit manifests his gifts and fruit to overflowing and thus they should overflow onto others. Whenever we see Jesus doing anything, he does so with abundance. Even His first miracle at the wedding in Cana, he had the servants fill six water jars, a total of one hundred and eighty gallons of water that he turned into wine. We are not sure how many guests were there, but that much wine surely was an abundant amount. Whatever Jesus does, he does it in abundance. Let us continue to live in his provision. Matthew tells us that after this he went to the region of Magadan, or Magdala, the city by the sea where Mary of Magdala came from. Perhaps this is where she met Jesus for the first time and followed him. We have had the privilege to visit this place, and it is in view of the sea. But, let us not forget about the abundant provision of Jesus.