Dave's Diary

Prayer

Before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 119:159-160.

LORD, I love your precepts;
Guide and protect me, in accordance with your love.
Help me to follow Your words of truth,
and walk in step with Your righteous laws.
Amen.

Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your awareness to the voice of God, coming to you through His Word.

Reading

Matthew 14:13-21

Jesus’ attitude towards this great crowd is so typical of Him – “He had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (v.14). And surely it was that same compassion that moved Him to respond to the disciples’ suggestion that He should send the crowds away to buy themselves some food, with a simple command: “You give them something to eat.” (v.16)

While this command was clearly specific to this particular situation, it is no surprise to find Jesus commanding His disciples to meet the needs of hungry people with food. His compassion always moved Him to life-giving action, and He expected His followers to be as moved as He was to take action in response to other people’s needs. In fact, elsewhere, He indicated that feeding a hungry person in His Name was equivalent to giving Him a meal. (See Matthew 25:40)

Now, here in South Africa, where we are surrounded by so much need, and hunger is so prevalent, this can feel like a daunting call. Recent studies suggest that anything between 11-65% of students go to bed hungry at University campuses across South Africa each night (naturally the figures vary per campus). Furthermore, research shows that about 15 million South Africans suffer from constant food insecurity. So what can each of us do as disciples in the face of this enormous need?

The original disciples raised the same issue. In the face of such a great need, they looked at what they had and reported: ‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish.’ They saw the huge need and, in light of that need, they saw their inadequacies!

But Jesus said to them, and I believe He says to us today: ‘Bring Me what you have.’

Jesus does not ask us to do what we cannot do. He asks us to do what we can – however small or insignificant it may seem to us. And when we do so, we can rest assured that He will take the little we have to offer, and transform its effect just as miraculously as He did the five loaves and two fish. We at Walmer Methodist are privileged to have such a well organised and smoothly operated food support ministry as Bread of Life to facilitate our giving. So, whether you pack an extra sandwich each day to feed a hungry person who comes across your path, or support an organization like BOL with a small contribution each month, understand this: Whatever you bring to Jesus in response to His call to “give them something to eat”, He will use in His Kingdom’s cause.

Contemplation

Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn these declarations over in your mind. Keep them in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ,

• I will seek to feel Christ’s compassion for those in need.
• I will allow myself to be moved by compassion to meet those needs in whatever small way I can.

Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see the needs of others with Your eyes, and to feel their need with Your heart of compassion. Move me, Jesus, by Your Spirit of love, to do whatever I can to meet their needs in Your Name. Amen