This term at Unley Park Kids, we’ve been exploring Jesus’ first miracles – turning water into wine, catching an abundance of fish and this week, we’ll be looking at Jesus feeding the masses with just five loaves and two fish.
One of the questions we’ve been asking along the way is ‘How would we respond?’ If we were there in person, seeing Jesus perform these miracles with our own eyes, would we be impressed, amazed, freaked out, all of the above? Would we make our way home and try out these miracles for ourselves?
I’ve lost count now of how many times I’ve read or heard these accounts of Jesus’ early ministry and I worry that I’ve lost a sense of awe and curiosity. If I’m being honest, I’m not sure if I would have been captivated by Jesus and drawn to follow him or whether I would have simply responded to him as a spectacle – a cool story for the following day’s water cooler chats.
I had coffee this morning with a young man who was full of wonder and delight as he told me about the Jesus he loves and follows. He spoke with such unabashed enthusiasm and lived experience of how Jesus has changed and literally saved his life. He spoke of such a tangible Jesus – almost like my friend had been there when the water turned to wine, when the fish were more than the nets could hold and when the leftovers were collected after the crowd had shared a young boy’s lunch.
We follow an amazing God! Jesus is just as present in our lives as he was here on earth in the days of his early ministry. May we keep our eyes and our hearts open and expectant as we follow and serve our glorious God.
In Him,
Chris