In Deuteronomy today, God gives instruction that if/when the Israelite people select a king (once settled in the land of promise), he is NOT to build up great wealth... (Deuteronomy 17.16-17). However, in the Psalms reading, that overwhelming wealth is what the writer (David) prays for his son Solomon! Hello!
Regarding the NT reading today, what is up with feeding the 5000? This entire situation could have totally been avoided... the disciples themselves were preemptive about the pending need for food by making their logistical suggestion in the afternoon. There was apparently still time to send the people away to get them all fed and settled in for the night on their own.
Luke 9.13a: But Jesus said, "You feed them."
This whole event was entirely unnecessary. Jesus orchestrated this circumstance for no other reason than to exercise the faith of His men. Notice that the miracle was over-the-top as far as the need went too - there were twelve baskets of food remaining after everyone had eaten ALL THEY WANTED! We are not talking about bare-bones necessity here - we are talking about ALL THEY WANTED! Again, over-the-top faith.
So how do we today look at this story and arrive at the conclusion that faith is to be reserved for dire last-resort need and, even then, is only just sufficient?
Father, I suppose my faith is so weak that I need to take every opportunity to exercise it. Perhaps, just as when exercising, I should build up my faith strength by exercise so that when real need arises I am ready.
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