Sufficient In God's Hands
A little girl was asked what her favorite story was in the Bible. She said, "I like the one where everyone loafs and fishes."
Alright, bad pastor jokes aside, the feeding of the 5000 is one of the great stories of the New Testament. At this time, Jesus' ministry and miracles had raised the interest of many, so that crowds began to follow him wherever he went. We are told that on this day, thousands gathered to hear him preach, but there was no way to provide food for such a great number of people on the mountainside.
But Jesus told his disciples they should feed the people. "With what?" they asked.
Just then, there came a young boy with five loaves of barley and two fish.
We don't know much about this boy. Only that he was willing to serve. He offered the little that he had in to his Lord, and others. As a result, that which seemed insufficient turned to plenty.
In the same way, we are invited to bring what we have to the table. This ordinary boy gave his lunch, insufficient as it was, to Jesus to meet a need.
A small lunch, and an ordinary boy, but that which is insufficient in the hands of the ordinary became sufficient and significant when placed in the hands of Jesus. This, the same Jesus, who seemed ordinary and insuffient in many ways himself, would give his own body to be the plenty for many.
So then, it is not what you bring, it is who you are bringing it to. God can do a lot with a little, and sometimes those who have the least are willing to give more, because they know all they have is dependent on God's grace.
Bring what you have. God can take it, bless it, and use it. What makes a gift great in God's service? It is not the magnitude of the gift. It is into whose hands the gift is given.
~Pastor Mike Middaugh
Alright, bad pastor jokes aside, the feeding of the 5000 is one of the great stories of the New Testament. At this time, Jesus' ministry and miracles had raised the interest of many, so that crowds began to follow him wherever he went. We are told that on this day, thousands gathered to hear him preach, but there was no way to provide food for such a great number of people on the mountainside.
But Jesus told his disciples they should feed the people. "With what?" they asked.
Just then, there came a young boy with five loaves of barley and two fish.
We don't know much about this boy. Only that he was willing to serve. He offered the little that he had in to his Lord, and others. As a result, that which seemed insufficient turned to plenty.
In the same way, we are invited to bring what we have to the table. This ordinary boy gave his lunch, insufficient as it was, to Jesus to meet a need.
A small lunch, and an ordinary boy, but that which is insufficient in the hands of the ordinary became sufficient and significant when placed in the hands of Jesus. This, the same Jesus, who seemed ordinary and insuffient in many ways himself, would give his own body to be the plenty for many.
So then, it is not what you bring, it is who you are bringing it to. God can do a lot with a little, and sometimes those who have the least are willing to give more, because they know all they have is dependent on God's grace.
Bring what you have. God can take it, bless it, and use it. What makes a gift great in God's service? It is not the magnitude of the gift. It is into whose hands the gift is given.
~Pastor Mike Middaugh
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