Satisfied
by Pastor Peter Bean
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All the people ate and were satisfied (Matthew 14:20a).
Read Matthew 14:13–21
Another well-known miracle. Easy to understand. How great is our God! True, true and true!
But there’s much more. Did you notice how, after hearing the sad news about John the Baptist (Jesus’ cousin, remember), Jesus went to a lonely place by himself? Quiet time, refreshment, healing and possibly a sense of peace. But not for long! The crowds come.
Then there is a supply problem. I can imagine Peter saying, ‘Not much food, mate. We need to do something’. John and James probably thundered in return! But Jesus, ever calm, says, ‘Wait a minute. Bring the small amount of food to me’. ‘He thanked God for the food’ (verse 19).
And voila. Enough and more than enough. All the people ate and were satisfied! Ten thousand reasons to bless the Lord! But blessing the Lord came only after the blessing of the food. The people didn’t just eat; they were blessed: blessed to be in Jesus’ presence, blessed to witness him thanking God for the food, blessed to eat and be satisfied, blessed to experience fellowship with many others.
How often do you eat and feel satisfied? Most nights, I would guess. How often do you bless the Lord? Most nights, I would hope. How often does Jesus the Christ bless us? Every day, every night, not only blessings but also mercies anew every morning (Lamentations 3).
As you eat your meals today, thank God for the provision. And if you have some food left over, perhaps bless someone else so they too can eat and be satisfied. And experience love and grace in action.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for blessing us with daily food. Let us take this act of grace into the world with us and, as we are able, share the blessing. Amen.
In the early months of the year, Peter is often out in the garden, watering, picking, pruning – chasing the birds away from his fruit! Or he could be indoors stewing, drying and preserving. Peter also enjoys walking the dog, riding his bike, reading and spending time with his family. To keep himself out of mischief, he is teaching himself piano and writing a paraphrase of each psalm – he is now up to Psalm 80.
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