Fragments

            "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." (John 6:12) was Jesus' command to his disciples after His miraculous feeding of the five thousand with only five barley loaves and two fish.  Why would Jesus, who could make so much of so very little, care about the leftover fragments of food?  Wouldn't they be like the pennies we see on the pavement and don't stop to pick up because they're worth so little?  Why bother with fragments?

            After the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus left for Capernaum.  The crowd that had been fed, followed Him there. He knew why they had come.  "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled." (vs. 26) He went on to explain that they should be seeking everlasting food, not the food that perishes.  ". . . Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (vs. 32) And then, just as the Samaritan woman had asked that Jesus give her the water that would prevent her from thirsting ever again, the crowd asked Jesus, "Lord, give us this bread always." (vs. 34) "I am the bread of life," He replied, "He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (vs. 35)

            How does this relate to those fragments of food?

            "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.  And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (vs. 39-40)

            "Of all He has given Me I should lose nothing," Jesus said. Jesus, the gatherer of fragments, fragments of food and fragments of the Father's kingdom, people the Father loves and sent Him to save.  No matter how broken, no matter how small of a fragment a person is in society's eyes, he or she is important enough to Jesus to be gathered.  He doesn't want even the smallest fragment to be lost.  If you're not yet a part of the kingdom, will you allow yourself to be gathered today?  And believer, will you help with the gathering today?

I Am a Fragment

"Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost,"

Jesus said of the leftover pieces of bread and fish.

Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost,

He said of me.

I am a fragment, gathered.

I am a sparrow, observed.

I am a Samaritan woman, watered.

I am a crucifier, undeserved.

I am a fragment, multiplied.

I am a sparrow, freed.

I am a Samaritan woman, satisfied.

I am an abundance, redeemed.

Daye Phillippo