A way to live in the mission field of leisure:
See your leisure time, your play time, or your rest time, as also time when God feeds and cares for you.
Based on John 6:1-21(see a readable retelling below); a reading that comes from the Revised Common Lectionary for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, 7/29/18.
Jesus goes to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd follows him because they had seen him heal the sick. He climbs a hill and sits down with his disciples. The festival of Passover is coming. He looks around, sees the crowd, and says to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people?” (John comments that Jesus already has a plan in mind and that he is testing Philip.) Philip answers that there is not enough money to give each a little piece of bread.
Andrew finds a boy with five barley loaves of bread and two fish but says that is too little for all the people. Jesus says, “Make the people sit down.” About five thousand sat down. Jesus takes the loaves, gives thanks, and gives to the people the loaves of bread and the fish, and the people get all they want.
Jesus tells the disciples to gather up all that is left so that nothing is lost. The disciples fill twelve baskets full. The crowd sees the feeding as a sign [an event with special meaning about God and God’s work] and wonder if Jesus is the prophet who is to come. Jesus sees they want to make him king and withdraws by himself.
At evening, the disciples go to the sea, get in the boat and start for the other side. Jesus has not yet come to them. They start and a strong wind comes up [perhaps, they stay close to the land].
They see Jesus walking toward them and coming near them. They are terrified. Jesus answers them, “It is I, do not be afraid.” They want to take him into the boat and immediately the boat reaches the far shore.
A theme: Jesus sees the hungry are fed.
