Morning Devotional 042826 Abundantly Blessed

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

April 27, 2026

John 6:1-14

¹ After this Jesus went across the Galilee Sea (that is, the Tiberias Sea). ² A large crowd followed him, because they had seen the miraculous signs he had done among the sick. ³ Jesus went up a mountain and sat there with his disciples. ⁴ It was nearly time for Passover, the Jewish festival. ⁵ Jesus looked up and saw the large crowd coming toward him. He asked Philip, “Where will we buy food to feed these people?” ⁶ Jesus said this to test him, for he already knew what he was going to do. ⁷ Philip replied, “More than a half year’s salary worth of food wouldn’t be enough for each person to have even a little bit.” ⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, ⁹ “A youth here has five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that for a crowd like this?” ¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass there. They sat down, about five thousand of them. ¹¹ Then Jesus took the bread. When he had given thanks, he distributed it to those who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, each getting as much as they wanted. ¹² When they had plenty to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces, so that nothing will be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves that had been left over by those who had eaten. ¹⁴ When the people saw that he had done a miraculous sign, they said, “This is truly the prophet who is coming into the world.” 

Good Morning! Jesus multiplies all that is offered to him.

How many organizers of church gatherings across the generations have been haunted by the worry, “Will we have enough to feed everyone?” Each time the food arrives, all eat their fill, and leftovers remain. “Fishes and Loaves!” This miraculous sign is about more than physical feeding. It is about the abundance that God offers to those who come and follow. 

In our early marriage, we had many times when it seemed we would not make it. We drove junk cars that sometimes worked, but often had problems. We would juggle finances to cover the most pressing bills. When things seemed beyond our ability to “fix,” an unexpected resource or offer of help emerged. “Fishes and Loaves!”

This week, we are examining trust! When we’ve had our trust violated in the past, it is hard to trust. Even when earthly measures fail us, God is always with us, making the impossible possible in ways we can’t understand or imagine. Praise be to our gracious God!

God of Wisdom, you bless us abundantly! Help us stop worrying and start trusting you to provide for our needs. Thank you. We love you. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Thought for the day: Be generous and share your abundance with others!

God blesses the giver and receiver abundantly! Pastor Liz