Monday Devo

Read Luke 9:10-17. As mentioned yesterday this is the only miracle of Jesus mentioned in all 4 gospels. Its kind of cool to read it in Matthew 14, Mark 6 and John 6 and look at the different details each writer decided to add or pull out. John mentions there was a little boy who shared his food but Luke doesn't seemed focused on that at all. He doesn't even mention the boy!

Read this passage more than once. Slow down - look for details that stick out. Each time you read it look for something you missed before. This is the Devotional study method. Look for themes - what do you think the main point of this passage is? Write it down before you go to the questions and before you read the next paragraph.

Main point: 

As I read through this slowly the theme that jumped out at me was how Jesus continued to minister to these people when it looked like they had nothing to give. Sometimes I feel so drained I don't think I can help one more person - and I'm relying on my own strength - I probably can't. The disciples here just want to send people away but God's love is too great.

Jesus spends all night in prayer filling up on God so he has more to pour out to those who come to him. In this moment he calls on his father to step in and do the heavy lifting. Sometimes I pray - "father help me meet this person needs" other times I leave out the word "help" and simply pray - "father please meet this person needs!"

questions

1) who drains you in your life? if you don't have someone what might that say about you?

2) when do you feel like you meet everyone else's needs but no one meets yours?

3) what are ways you can let God fill you up so that you can continue to feed others?

prayer

Forgive me Lord for relying on my own strength. Let me love like you love me. Let me love like I've been loved by so many you've put into my life. May your love abound more and more in me - in knowledge and depth of insight so that we may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.