Gathering is Exhausting

Wednesday March 30, 2022

Created by Lauren Cubberley

Luke 9:10–17 (NIV)

10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”

13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”

They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish — unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Devotion

I have always loved this story. In fact, I love this story so much that I used it as my reading to preach on at Embrace Ministries’ Candlelight. Our theme that semester was “gathering,” and I thought this epitomized it. It was not that Jesus had gathered around at least 15,000 people who were hungry that captured my attention (side note–this story is often called “The Feeding of the 5,000, but there were 5,000 men present, plus women and children, so scholars believe there were at least 15,000 people total in attendance), but it was that 15,000 hungry people gathered around Jesus.

To me, Jesus seems desperate to get away from the crowds, for he takes his disciples with him to Bethsaida. But, the crowd follows Jesus. So, Jesus heals them and speaks to them, and just as he is getting ready to leave and receive some much needed peace and quiet, the disciples come up to Jesus and say that these people are hungry. Despite being tired, Jesus performs a miracle, making the five loaves of bread and two fish feed 15,000 people.

I said it at Candlelight, and I’ll say it again: gathering is exhausting, but sometimes God calls on us to do it anyway. I’m sure Jesus wanted to do something else other than feeding 15,000 people, and this situation was probably overwhelming for him, but with the support of the disciples he was able to serve all who were hungry. Sometimes we feel like life is too much. But, we are not expected to go through this time or any time alone. Just like the disciples were gathered in Jesus’ corner, ready to help serve, there is a group gathered in our corner, which can help make the gathering and serving a little less exhausting.

Prayer

Gathering God, bring us together even when it is difficult. When illness, exhaustion, and busyness become obstacles, empower us to find creative, faithful ways to remain a part of your people. Amen.