What does "yes" mean?

John 6:1-15

      On a personal note, and as a matter of explanation, I am sorry I was not able to write for this past week or so. I fell unexpectedly ill and am still recuperating. At least I am at home with 'my guys', my most precious husband and our cat. I can't promise to write each day now until at least I am fully mended. My intention is still there but I won't promise to writing every day. Not today. I am still quite weak and daily activities seem to drain me as though they were major tasks. I am exhausted, emotionally raw and whipped.

      So, here we are again with the loaves and fishes. Seems quite appropriate to me.  Later today a bouquet of flowers will arrive for my most wonderful and supportive husband. He was there through the thick and thin of this illness, worrying, driving back and forth, keeping guard and worried that what short time we had been given so far may be all the time we would been given. We are keenly aware that there are no guarantees.  Still, we said "yes" to each other, for better for worse, yadda, yadda, yadda.  We had no idea what the future would hold but we said yes to each other in faith and love.

       That is sort of what this passage is all about.  The disciples saying yes to Jesus. How many would have said 'what are you insane??' to the equation of large crowd vs. 5 barley loaves and two fish? Seems logical, practical and smart to make other arrangements.

        We catch a glimpse of that faith the Apostles had, the unrestricted "yes" to Jesus in marriage.  You know the love you have and the faith in the other. You may have no idea what the future will hold. And my husband rises to the challenge, rallies to the cause and shows such love and support that I think even the Apostles would be proud.

        The question I raise though is this, how many times do we actually give an unreserved "yes" to someone or to God? Sometime it may seem terribly impractical, perhaps even unreasonable but amazing things happen when God gets involved. That is, when you let God get involved. Like I said, I am emotionally raw right now but I cannot help but think over and over how blessed I am with everything and it all stems from saying yes. Yes to love. Yes to my husband. Yes to God. Yes to the little voice that said "go see a doctor.... quick!"

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, ‘This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.’

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.