Day 129

Judges 9:1-57, John 6:1-24, Psalm 58:1-11

It was great to see our lads make the Soul Survivor blog yesterday.

Coming back to the text though, there are times when it all seems to be going pear shaped. You know those times when people like Abimelech are in control, and they are leading things in the wrong direction? All of the judges so far have been exactly that, judges, and then someone comes along wanting to be king, rings alarm bells somewhat. It is quite easy to picture the events of chapter 9 as complete and utter chaos, and we would probably be right. There is one voice of reason in their, Gideon’s youngest son Jotham, but he doesn’t become a judge, just a voice of sense in the midst of the chaos.

We see similar pictures in the Gospel, places where the disciples come up against the chaos themselves. If you have ever had to do any mass catering it can be a real challenge. Put into that equation 5,000 men (no mention of the women there) and 5 small barley loaves and 2 fish and you will understand how the disciples might have felt. But then Jesus wades in, and quite literally in the next passage. These two Gospel passages brought together bring us face to face with the God who can bring calm to the fiercest storms.

It goes far deeper though, if there is anything that can cause a bigger mess than Abimelech, it is the work of sin in the world. The Old Testament is full of people losing sight of God, people setting their eyes on the wrong people and the wrong things, it is also full of senseless murder. But Jesus did not just perform the miracle of feeding 5,000+, he went beyond just barley loaves and walking on water to being the very bread of life and eternal spring that we may ever need.

In Christ the chaos of sin is defeated and we are fed the bread of eternal life, and we drink from the spring of eternal life so come to his table right now.