What shall we do?

I’ve always loved this story. Jesus feeding the masses with only five loaves of bread and two small fish. It shows me how Jesus can use the smallest or least desirable things to meet our needs.

I also love how Jesus tested Philip by asking “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”, all the while knowing what he was going to do. Aren’t our lives like that? We have some impossible situation: the college tuition bill, an overdue electric bill, a life-threatening health crisis (all of which I’ve lived through) and we, like Philip, wonder “How can this possibly work out?” Jesus tests our faith just as he tested Philip. How will we respond? I wish I could say I immediately trusted Jesus’ plan every time even though I didn’t know what it was. But, I like Philip and the other disciples had to get my heart right, and I eventually got to a place of faith. How do we get our “hearts right?“ I’ll tell you a little later. But, for now let’s continue with the chapter. 

In verse 16 the twelve had another incredible encounter with Jesus. Jesus walked on the water, while they were on a lake. They were terrified (as I think we all would be), but Jesus told them “It is I; don’t be afraid.”  A little later Jesus told the Jews, his disciples, and the twelve that he was “the bread of life.” And, not only did they have to “eat“ His flesh, but they had to “drink” His blood. Something that would have been detestable to them. I read this chapter, (well, I really listened to it on my Bible app) at least five times because I couldn’t understand how the Jews did not seem  to understand what Jesus was saying. It seems so obvious that Jesus did not  mean they would literally eat his flesh and drink his blood. As I’m writing this blog I finally get it. They did not WANT to understand. They already had in mind who Jesus was. To the Jews who did not believe him he was “little Jesus, Mary and Joseph’s son.” They ignored all of the signs and miracles He performed and saw only what they WANTED to see. But, don’t we do that as well? My impossible college tuition was paid, my impossibly high and overdue electric bill did not shut off my power, and my impossible and very serious health crisis did not kill me. But, still like the Jews I ignored Jesus’ miracles in my life and lacked faith in Him. 

So what shall we do? How can we get our “hearts right?” I say do what the twelve did and listen to Jesus. We don’t have the luxury of sitting at Jesus’ feet and hearing him speak. But, we can still listen to Him by reading His word, and after we read His word, we must listen to that still small voice when it comes, and it will come. Jesus asked the twelve “Do you want to leave too?“ They replied “Lord where shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the holy one of God.” This must be our response as well. Only Jesus has the words of eternal life, the words that will save our lives. So I ask again, “What shall we do?” Remember the miracles that Jesus has done in your life, and Believe Jesus!