Our pittance, His plenty

Monday, January 10, 2011
Devotions: Ps 138, 139:1-17, 147; Isa 65:1-9; Rev 3:1-6; Jn 6:1-14

YHWH, I thank you with my whole heart, before spirits and mortals; thanks for Your steadfast love and faithfulness. You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word. You answer when I call; let me do no less! You are strengthening my soul and my resolve. Let all earth's leaders glorify You, for great is the glory of the Lord. He regards the lowly, but stays far from the haughty. Lord, though I walk through trouble, You preserve me life and deal with my enemies. YHWH will fulfill His purpose for me; Lord, Your steadfast love endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands! You know me in and out, and every thing I do or think! You watch over the course of my life. I cannot hide from You, and Your Spirit lives within me. You made me and You own me. You don't make junk, so my frame is not hidden from You. How precious are Your thoughts, Lord; how vast their totality! I am with You waking and sleeping. It is good to sing God's praises. God builds up Jerusalem and gathers the exiles to Himself. He numbers the stars and names them all. Great is our Lord, abundant in power and immeasurable in understanding. He lifts up the downtrodden and casts down the wicked. Let us sing to YHWH with thanksgiving, Who watches over all the worlds. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord, the Master of all things.

God is available to the Gentiles; He chose Israel, a stiff-necked and rebellious people, and He tends all humankind. But God rewards the faithful and punishes those determined to rebel against Him. He preserves a faithful remnant and has mercy on the mass of humanity. Let us bow to His authority and thereby share in His blessings.

Jesus had John write to the church in Sardis: The words of Him Who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works; you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up and strengthen what remains and is at the point of death. Your works are not complete or acceptable in God's sight. Remember what you first received and heard; keep that, and repent! If you will not revive, I will come like a thief and you will not know when I Am coming. However, there are a few among you who have not soiled themselves in My sight. They will walk before Me in garments of white, for they are worthy. Whoever conquers will be clad in white garments, and I will not blot their names out of the book of life. I will confess their names before My Father and His angels. Whoever can hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Jesus traveled to the far side of the Sea of Galilee. Many followed Him, having seen His acts of power in healing the sick. Jesus went up on a mountain and sat there with His disciples. The Jewish Passover feast was at hand. Jesus looked at the multitude approaching and said to Philip, 'How are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?' Jesus was testing his apostle, because He knew what He was about to do. Philip replied, 'Two hundred denarii wouldn't buy enough bread to give even a morsel to each one.' Andrew, another disciple, said, 'There is a lad here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that in the need of so many?' Jesus said, 'Make the people sit down.' It was a grassy area, so the people sat down—5000 men plus women and children. Jesus took the five loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the seated crowd; He did the same with the two fish. And each received as much as he or she wanted. When the multitude had eaten their fill, Jesus had the disciples pick up the leftovers, which filled twelve large baskets. And the people were amazed to see all this. They concluded, 'This is the Prophet Who was foretold!'