Inventory

"You give them food to eat," Mark 6:37.

That's what Jesus tells us when we tell him to send hungry people away so they can find food somewhere else. And so we tell him we don't have that much food to feed everybody, and, besides, it'll take too much money to buy it. And so then Jesus tells us to take inventory of what we do have. And then we tell him we were right, we've only got one picnic basket to feed thousands. And then Jesus tells us to organize the multitude into smaller groups. So we do. And then Jesus takes the food we found and says: Let's give thanks to God. Which he does. And then he divides the bread. And hands it out. And divides it. And it multiplies. And everybody's stuffed like at thanksgiving. Even with leftovers for later.

When we visit a brother or sister today, we thank God for his abundant provision. But, mainly, together, we praise him for the multiplied grace he distributes to all through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. Even with grace to spare for later generations.