"And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?" And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over."

Matthew 15:33-37 ESV

Sometimes the task of reaching a lost and broken world can feel overwhelming and frightening. Cancel culture threatens us into silence, sin is celebrated, and many loved ones have walked away from the truth. It's devastating, and if we aren't careful, we will begin to shrink back and quiet ourselves. We are living in desolate times - a place of loneliness, confusion and questions.

The disciples in the above scriptures ask, in the literal sense, where they will find enough bread to feed the crowd. It was their desolate place, and I imagine that they were perplexed and unsure of what to do in that moment.

John 6:35 says this: "Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

Desolate places are sure to come, but Jesus is reminding us today that He is the bread of life, and He will always be found in the valley. Whatever you have need of, He can supply because HE is enough. We must not allow ourselves to accept defeat in the valley. God's silence does not mean His absence. In those trying, difficult times we must hold fast to hope and the truth that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Devotion by Caitlin Walker