REFLECTIONS
November 25, 2007
 
 
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Luke 9:16-17
 
 
Leftovers
 
It’s a memory now. Family all gathered, the turkey surrounded with all the trimmings, pies waiting in the kitchen —pumpkin, apple and pecan. Laughter echoed from the walls, and for a brief moment at least, a sense of God’s blessings filled the room. And the prayer:
Heavenly and loving God we give thanks this day for the many blessings of our lives. For the love of our family, for the gift of love from those that once shared our lives and now walk with You, for all of our abundances—food, shelter, comfortable homes, a free country. But dear Lord we thank you most for the greatest blessing of all.
We thank you gracious and loving Father for your Son whom you gave so that our lives may be everlasting. And it is on this day we pause in thanksgiving. Amen.
Then after the feast and the dishes were cleared, there was the matter of leftovers. Leftovers served as a reminder of how stuffed we were and the wonder for why the feast was so large. The kids took much of them home, yet the volume of leftovers was much more than expected.
Leftovers also remind us of a story from another time. The disciples had just returned from their mission trip with stories to tell. Jesus wanted to hear them. So He took his followers to a place called Bethsaida; but large crowds followed them. When mealtime came, it seemed that five loaves and two fish would not be sufficient to feed the crowd of five thousand men and the women and children with them. But there was more than enough. Twelve baskets of leftovers were much more than expected.
On Thanksgiving Day we praised God and expressed our gratitude to Him. The abundance of the meal symbolizes our many blessings. And leftovers—well, they tell us our blessings are always much more than expected. Thanks be to God.
 
 “You are the light of the world,”
Richard Ì
 


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