Reflection of the week

Posted May 17, 2017 in Faith

This week’s reflection is from Day 4 (Wednesday 17 May) Moderator Rev Sue Ellis’ 40 Days of Prayer, running from Sunday 14 May to the Uniting Church’s 40^th anniversary on Thursday 22 June. This particular reflection and prayer has been prepared by Rev Sue Ellis. To subscribe to the 40 Days of Prayer emails please click here.

Scripture

“Here is a child with five small barley loaves and two fish, but how far will they go among so many?” – John 6:9

Reflection

As church attendance numbers decline, and the spiritual hunger of so many in our communities is apparent, we can easily become like the disciple Philip in John’s gospel and declare we don’t have the financial resources to meet these needs. 

Or we may be like Andrew, who scouts around and discovers a child’s lunchbox with five loaves and two fish and declares there are not enough material resources available. 

We often lament our capacity to undertake the work of the church in our local community and beyond. We view the work of the church like Philip and Andrew.

Of course, we could also be like the child, who offered up a daily meal to Jesus, to find a single person’s lunch transformed by the breaking of the bread, and a hungry crowd fed. 

Jesus tested Philip with a question when the hungry crowd appeared: “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

Philip and Andrew focussed on human limitations. 

How might the Uniting Church move beyond a closed reality to an openness to the mystery of the impossible?

Prayer

Here is what will feed me today, Lord Jesus. Show our church how you will use it to feed others. Amen.

 

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