We love to travel. Almost as much fun as traveling though, is planning the trip. Checking all the options, comparing prices, figuring out where to stay, how to get there, reviewing restaurants and activities, determining what clothes are needed, oh lots of details and choices. Sometimes we live wildly and don’t actually plan everything but in general we have a pretty good idea. Even if it is a short trip, a day or half-day trip, we take snacks and drinks at least. Or we have a pretty good idea of where we can get something if we are hungry or need the “facilities”. Just in general, I always carry a snack with me. Even if I’m going to the grocery.
In several of the Gospels, we read about Jesus feeding the crowds of four/five thousand. What is incredible to me – stunning in fact – is when the disciples are told to find out how much food there is in the crowd, they come back with a small boy who has some loaves of bread and some small fish. A small boy is the only one with food? In a crowd of thousands?
Who planned this outing? Talk about spur of the moment crowd gathering! Think about that again. No one had brought food. They left what they were doing to go hear the rabbi. The Son of God. Most of them had no idea why they were so drawn to Him, why they would leave their work, leave their lunch for pity sake, to go hear with their hearts that they are loved.
And they get lunch thrown in to boot. Abundant, extravagant hospitality to those who come just as they are.
Isn’t that always the case?
Just Sayin' 