• Five Minute Friday :: Watch Linkup
Patterned after the church's liturgical practice of praying the canonical hours but in remembrance and anticipation of Easter dawn, there's a tradition of Morning Watch. The fourth and last segment of the night watch – the morning watch – happens from 3-6 a.m.. During this final watch of the night, darkness gently eases into the quiet early light of Easter dawn and God's Glory softly splashes over all creation.
This week my weekly lectionary-based scripture blog was feeding five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21 at "a deserted place, and the hour is now late." (Matthew 14:15) As time unwinds, sunlight retreats, evidence of civilization and active population wanes, we humans tend to assume declining hope, maybe immanent death. We typically hope, watch, and wait for new life on sunny days at centers where people interact, create community, do commerce, and generally demonstrate evidence of life. After all, our active watching has shown that's frequently the case.
Think back to your own experience and check out the witness of scripture. In all four gospel narratives, the very large and very hungry crowd of 5,000+ got fed so fully there were leftovers—completely unheard of for poorer people in that place and time! A beyond bountiful, life-restoring meal even happened as night descended, and while they still were in the desolate place they'd followed Jesus to.
A verse I often return to reminds us watching for daylight and established activity in order to welcome new life and new beginnings isn't always necessary:
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. John 20:1
Our morning watch happens whatever the time of day, season of life, wherever we are, in whatever circumstance. Let's expect resurrection!
I related to your reflection on Jesus feeding the 5000 as I was writing my blog on watch and see what He will do. It was very much a situation where the disciples had to watch and see how Jesus would provide. In my life we feel this way as we are building on a property that we purchased for our son with special needs a home for him and others with disabilities but we have need more money to complete the project and it feels like Jesus feeding the 5000 sometimes as a little goes a long way as somehow month by month we keep moving forward. Thank you for the encouragement!
ReplyDeleteI read through the Bible using the lectionary for three years. Enjoyed it immensely. Now I am reading through the Chronological Bible in a year. It's great to pull everything together.
ReplyDeleteKnowing God provides is important to our faith. Thank Him when we see His provision is important too.
Blessings
Janis
Sorry - I hit anonymous by mistake. But I wrote the comment above. lol :)
ReplyDeleteA beautiful word picture. Love "During this final watch of the night, darkness gently eases into the quiet early light of Easter dawn and God's Glory softly splashes over all creation."
ReplyDeleteWe seek the grace of sunny days,
ReplyDeleteall hands clasped and voices high,
but whither goes the fervent praise
when we find we're marked to die?
Can we find it deep inside,
the courage of the murdered Christ?
Or will it be our choice to hide
and thereby to have sacrificed
all He suffered for to give
a road to ultimate salvation?
Will we cower, choose to live
a life of quick gratification
that we are not required to see
the evil born in you, and me?