Today’s devotion is John 6:1-14 which covers Jesus miracle of feeding the five thousand out of six barley loaves and two fish. Here is a link to John Chapter 6 from which you can read it.
“When they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” John 6:12.
Why was this verse chosen? Did I want to use this verse to teach a lesson that it is wrong to litter? No! Did I want to use this verse to promote some “green” agenda? No!
This verse was chosen to give us hope that not one of God’s elect will be lost.
Mark 13:27
“And then He will send forth the angels, and will
gather together His
elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.”
Deuteronomy 30:4
“
If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD
your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back.”
Jesus often used parables and common physical items to teach deep spiritual truths. As just one example, we read Matthew 16:11-12. “How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Consider Luke Chapter 16 which teaches the passion and diligence of Jesus in finding and bringing in the lost through the parables of the “The Lost Sheep”, “The Lost Coin”, and “The Prodigal Son” better called “The Lost Son”. ” ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ” Luke 16:32.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30.
We may feel like these leftovers fragments: of no value, thrown away, and abandoned. But, we, the elect, are precious in our Lord’s sight, and Jesus will gather us to be with Him.
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Just as it is written,
“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:29-39.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 