On Rounds with Jesus

Tag: Jesus’ miracles

  • God’s Show

    God’s Show

    Scripture reading: John 6:1-14

    You can listen to this devotional via Spotify or YouTube.

    Today’s scene opens with a large crowd, a real need, and no obvious solution.

    Thousands have gathered around Jesus Christ, following Him and listening to His teaching. But now, they are hungry. What began as a moment of ministry has become a logistical problem.

    Then Jesus does something unexpected. He turns to His disciples and asks for a solution, not because He doesn’t know what to do, but because He is about to reveal something deeper.

    As usual, logic speaks first. Philip calculates: “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:7). It’s a reasonable response – thoughtful, practical, and sensible. But it is also limited. Philip sees the problem through the lens of human capacity and arrives at a natural conclusion: This is impossible.

    Andrew speaks next. He sees something, but his vision is short-sighted: “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” (John 6:9). His faith is present, but it doesn’t stretch far enough. There is a resource, yet it feels insignificant. Almost not worth mentioning. A boy. A lunch. Five loaves. Two fish. In any serious plan, it doesn’t count. But they forget: this is God’s show!

    In God’s economy, the pattern is different. The problem is allowed to be too big. The resource is allowed to be too small, so that the outcome will be undeniably divine.

    Jesus takes the loaves, gives thanks, breaks them, and has His disciples distribute them. And suddenly, what was insufficient becomes abundant. What was overlooked becomes central.
    What seemed foolish becomes the answer.

    Everyone eats until they’re satisfied, and there are still leftovers.

    This moment is not just about provision; it is a revelation. God is not limited by the size of your resources, the scale of your problem, or the logic of your calculations. He is looking for something else: Are you available? Are you willing to surrender what you have to Him? Will you trust Him a little more?

    The boy didn’t have much, but he had something. And in the hands of Jesus, that was enough.

    Reflection

    1. What situation in your life currently feels “too big” for you to handle?
    2. What do you have in your hands right now that you may be dismissing as “not enough”?
    3. What would it look like to place that small thing fully in God’s hands?

    Prayer

    Heavenly Father, thank You that You are not limited by what limits me. Where I see lack, You see possibility. Where I see insufficiency, You see an opportunity for Your power to be revealed.

    Lord, I bring before You the areas of my life that feel overwhelming—the needs I cannot meet, the problems I cannot solve, and the questions I cannot answer.

    Teach me to trust You. Help me not to despise what I have, even if it seems small. Give me the faith to place it in Your hands, believing that You are able to do more than I can imagine.

    Let my life be a testimony that when You are at work, “not enough” becomes more than enough.

    In Jesus’ name, Amen.

    Thank you for joining us for today’s encouragement. If this message blessed you, kindly share it with someone who may also be encouraged by it.

    Until next time, stay blessed.

  • Refresh

    Refresh

    Scripture reading: John 2:1-11, NKJV

    John begins his account of Jesus’ first recorded miracle with “on the third day”, almost as though he is cueing us into some kind of resurrection story. Or was he?

    Jesus, His mother, and His new disciples had been invited to a wedding feast in Cana. The next thing we read from the account is that what was meant to be the refreshment at the ceremony—the wine—runs out. This is not a good thing. Jewish weddings were a very big deal back then and could last for days. The wine was not to run out, as it symbolised joy and abundance. This was a highly embarrassing social faux pas, one that could become the subject of ridicule for years to come. Imagine the utter disgrace. The party was almost dead.

    We don’t know exactly how close Mary was to the bridal party, but she notices very early that “there was no wine,” and that timely intervention was needed. She turns to Jesus. In medical terms, you could say Mary “called a code.” This often refers to initiating a rapid response to a medical emergency, like a cardiac or respiratory arrest. Urgent cardiopulmonary resuscitation was required to save what seemed to be the dying moments of this party.

    Mary recognised the need to act promptly. But more importantly, she recognised that Jesus was there at the wedding feast— and that only He could bring whatever was left of it back to life.

    Mary says to the servants, “Whatever He tells you, do it.” And they do.

    Jesus asks the servants to fill some empty jars nearby with water. Once they are filled, He instructs them to draw some of it out and take it to the master of ceremonies. The emcee takes a sip of what is soon to be the choicest wine at the feast and cannot stop singing praises to his hosts. If only he knew that just moments earlier, it had been plain, bland water drawn from pots meant for ceremonial cleansing.

    Jesus can turn your plain, bland life into a joyous spring of fine wine, so delightful that everyone who tastes it cannot get enough. But you need to give Him the chance. You need to let Him in. You need to let Him fill you.

    Worn out, tired, waning? The refresh button you need is Jesus. Jesus is the new wine—you haven’t tasted better.

    Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

    — Psalm 34:8, NKJV

    Let’s Pray

    Pray…
    For a refilling—
    Where your love for God may be dwindling

    A rekindling—
    Where your joy may be waning

    Where the gloom of disgrace may be lurking,
    Where the emptiness of worthlessness may be surging,
    That the Lord will fill you with His new wine—
    With His divine Spirit that makes all things new.


    May the Lord make you a refreshing testimony to His glory.
    Amen.

    Reflections

    1. Who do you share your problems with? Mary shared hers with Jesus because she knew who He was and what He could do.
    2. Jesus is the only answer— never mind the question.
    3. The key lies in obeying His instructions: “Whatever He tells you, do it.”
    4. Jesus can use whatever is available— there was no wine, but there was water. What do you need? Look at what you have.
    5. When you put your trust in Jesus, it never goes to waste.
    6. “Why have you saved the best for last?” (John 2:10) What Jesus gives is built to last. What they had was water for external cleansing. He gave them wine to satisfy within. The stone jars were empty— He filled them up. What they were facing was imminent death and shame… He gave them life and joy. Tired and heavy-laden? Jesus offers you rest.