Feel the Grass

"Jesus said to her, 'Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?' "
(John 11:40)

Being reminded of the power of believing, now after a long season of letting a promise go dry and shrivel up.  Living long as one resigned to hunger during a seemingly endless famine.  What a strange thing it is, to lift the face to rain again and know that the ground will surely yield in response to it.

August 7

Continuing in John, and taking another look at the feeding of the 5000 in chapter 6.

When Jesus sees the multitude coming, He asks, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" 
The question is a test. 
He knows what He can do.
Their responses run the same spectrum ours do:  one disciple says, "We have no resources."  Another, "This lad here has 5 barley loaves  (the food of the poor) and 2 small fish, but what are they among so many?" 
And Jesus answers, "Make the people sit down."

Faith only finds its definition, its substance in your trusting something "else" more than you trust your common sense. More than you trust your current field of vision.  More than you trust your capabilities.  More than you trust the things that seem permanently insurmountable.  Not surprising that He wondered if He'd find "faith" when He returns.  I wonder that He'd find it even now among those who profess to be His followers.  Not faith by this definition anyway.

And then there's the "sitting down" of covenant, the tarrying that adds depth and dimension to the faith--dimension of perseverance, of patience.  If we have the faith to believe that He can make something out of almost nothing, do we have the further faith to allow the work to happen around us while we simply sit n the grass and receive its over-abundance?  Or do we rather say, "Yes!  I can believe what You promise.  I can believe for the nourishment.  I can believe for the end of the terrible hunger.  So, I will make it happen!" No.  Not in this instance.  You sit down and feel the fullness of the grass.
Faith following through until the loaves and fish are in the hand.