Our text for this past Sunday was only 3 verses but it is a rich story. A man brings a gift of 20 loaves of bread to the prophet Elisha – it is the first fruits of his harvest. He is surprised and maybe confused when Elisha doesn’t just accept it but says to give it to the 100 people gathered. The man’s first question – very practically – was “is there enough?”
Enough is a question that plagues us. Is there enough food to feed people during a pandemic? Is there enough shelter for the people who have been living in tents all summer? Are there enough jobs? Are there enough hospital beds? When we have a coronavirus vaccine, will there be enough for everyone?
We wrestle with these questions and just like the unnamed man in the story, we mathematically analyze the situation as impossible. We have scarce resources. There is not enough.
But that is not the message from God. God, through Elisha, focuses on generosity and abundance. God doesn’t let logistics or scarcity hinder God’s kingdom. We know that life will not always be easy, but we can trust God to provide. Providing food and generosity and relationships and ways to care for one another. Providing resilience in difficulty and teamwork to solve problems. For the miracle in this story is not done directly by God but carried out by human hands. How is God calling you to action so that there is enough for everyone?
Grace and peace, Pastor Betsy