Today's Verse: Luke 9:13

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

[When his disciples wondered how to feed the huge crowd who had been with them several days and were famished, Jesus] 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."

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Thoughts on Today's Verse...

I love the way Jesus got his disciples' attention in this situation. He challenged them "to do immeasurably more than all [they] ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20-21). Basically, Jesus told them, "You feed them, boys!" Of course, they knew that they couldn't! Yet Jesus showed them they could do amazing things if they brought their meager resources to him. When the big picnic was over, each of those limited disciples got to pick up a basket full of leftovers from the table of Jesus' grace (Luke 9:17). Let's remember our challenge is the limited resources we see but our unwillingness to bring what we have to Jesus and trust that he will do something with us, and those resources, to bless others in ways we couldn't have dreamed!

Video Commentary...

We've included Phil's ToGather video from four years ago as an added blessing to our verse today:

My Prayer...

All praise to you, Abba Father, for your extravagant help and mercy in times of need, your loving and generous provision in times of want, and your surprising and exciting use of my limited resources as I seek to do your will. I know that you have entrusted me with what I have to accomplish the work you have called me to do as I serve to bless others. Forgive me, Father, for not trusting you to make what I think are my meager resources more than enough to do your work in my world! In Jesus' name, I ask for your grace fully confident and praising you for your sufficiency. Amen.

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4 Related Resources by Heartlight

Illustration

Illustration of Luke 9:13 — [When his disciples wondered how to feed the huge crowd who had been with them several days and were famished, Jesus] 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."

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About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.