Matthew 14.15-16 NLT




That evening the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”
You can’t blame the disciples. They were probably exhausted trying to keep up with Jesus, who always seemed to have energy to minister to people. When they come to Jesus at the end of this busy day, they feel that Jesus ought to send the crowds away. They use the sensible argument that they were in a remote place and that it was getting late and so it would be good to encourage the people to go and get some food. But Jesus turns the tables on the disciples. Rather than agreeing with them, he tells them to feed the people. They needed to take responsibility for sorting out the situation.
When we see situations of need it’s always a relief when we can see someone else who is willing to respond. But that isn’t always the case. Sometimes the Lord tells us not to look for anyone else – because we need to respond. Perhaps you see someone who is deeply unhappy and they simply need someone who will calmly and patiently listen to them. Or you see a person who is struggling financially who just needs a little money to help them through the next few days. On many occasions you can stand back and bless the Lord that someone else steps in, but there are times when the Lord says to us, “This is your moment. You can help them.”


We should thank God for the Welfare State. It is a privilege to live in a country where so many needs are catered for. In many parts of the world this is not the case and it has been the thoughtful work of many people, including many Christians, over the years who have devised a way of supporting the vulnerable. But, wonderful as the Welfare State may be, there always have been, and always will be, those who slip through the net, and the Lord calls us to respond.




QUESTION: Who might the Lord be asking you to help?
PRAYER: Loving God, help us to be willing to respond to those in need, even when we’re at the end of the day and feeling tired. Amen

Released on 11 Dec 2021