12/5/12 – Wednesday of the first week of Advent – Matthew 13:29-37

     Today, we hear a wonderful Gospel reading about Jesus healing many people, and then multiplying the loaves of bread and the fishes so that the hungry crowds would have enough to eat before they started on their journey back home.  And I think that this story shows us what God always does.  God knows our needs and he cares about us.  God gives to us in abundance, and sometimes he gives to us in unexpected ways.  I don't think that the people in the crowd expected those few loaves of bread and those few small fish to be enough for them to eat.

       I can think of a humorous story of the way God provided to me in my time of need.  When I first went to Ole Miss, I was traveling by bus from Texas, and was going to arrive in Oxford on Sunday.  I inquired about a taxi to bring me from the bus station to the Ole Miss campus, and was assured there would be one, but when I arrived in Oxford early on a Sunday morning, I found out that the taxis did not run on Sunday.  This was my first time in Oxford and in Mississippi, so I had no idea where I was going.  While I was thinking about what to do, I saw an old mini van with a family crammed in there traveling down the road – it looked like the family was on its way to church.  Thinking quickly, I ran into the street and waved down the mini van, and ask the family if there was any way it could take me to the campus.  After thinking for a moment and mentioning that they did not want to be late to church, they told me to hop in, and they took me to the campus, right to my very dorm.  I thanked the Lord for sending his angels to help me.  I also thanked the Lord for giving me the courage to ask a stranger for help in my time of need. 

       In the Gospel story we heard, God provided enough food to the crowd for there even to be food left over.  God gives abundantly to us, more than we deserve & more than we need.  He nourishes with his word and his sacraments, with the Eucharist we will receive this morning.  And maybe we have to look closely to see the creative ways God gives to us, like I did with the nice family that gave me a ride to Ole Miss.  But as that ride in the mini van fulfilled the need I had, God can satisify the longings and the needs we have too.

       Let us pray: Dear God, you satisfy the needs we have in our hearts.  We hunger for your kingdom, we find joy in your presence.  Nourish us with your word, satisfy us with your love.  In Jesus' name we pray.