Savoring the Fragments

They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over. // Matthew 14:20 

I stepped out into the courtyard with hundreds of women (perhaps some of you?) after a morning BIS retreat session, eager for fellowship during the lunch break. The sun warmed the Phoenix air perfectly, women chatted joyfully, the smell of tacos floated through the air . . . I was deeply satisfied.

Those tacos still stand out in my memory as the best tacos I’ve ever eaten.

As delicious as that meal was—and as uplifting as the conversations were—the satisfaction of that weekend faded away as everyday duties at home demanded my attention and my stomach growled for more food day after day.

I look back at that retreat, the conversations, and even the tacos with fondness. The Lord filled me that weekend in ways I’m still unpacking, yet I’m hungering for more. My homemade tacos pale in comparison, and my soul longs for more sisterhood and more of Christ.

My satisfaction was temporary, just as it was for those whom Jesus fed on the hillsides so many years ago.

The Gospel doesn’t tell us what the Apostles did with the fragments they gathered, but I like to imagine they weren’t wasted. As I consider how this applies to me, I have an idea for fragments in my life—I want to gather them up and treasure them. What fragments? I’m thinking about memories of retreats and homilies, Bible verses saved in my prayer journal, friendships deepened in conversation, a stronger yearning for the Lord that keeps me seeking Him.

In your prayer today, think about a time you felt deeply satisfied and loved by the Lord’s gifts, and thank Him. If you’re still hungering, ask Him to fill your heart with His peace today.

Lord, thank You for Your abundant love and generosity. May I always turn to You for my needs. Amen.