I love the true story, as told in the Bible, of the time Jesus fed the 5000. Of course, that was just the men. There are so many thoughts to consider when reading this miracle.
One, I seriously doubt that no one else had any food with them. They hid it, or worse, lied about having it. They looked at the situation with natural eyes and thought, “There is no way what we have is going to feed this huge crowd!” And honestly, they were right. But those same individuals didn’t fully know who Jesus was. They didn’t understand what could happen if you place what you have in Jesus’ hands and then trust him. Yes, even to do the impossible!
Two, The boy who gave the small lunch he had brought did know and therefore trusted Jesus. He also believed Jesus was the son of God. The lad had a giver’s heart, and I think he gave it cheerfully. In fact, he probably had to convince Jesus’ disciple to take it. They, too, were looking with natural eyes.
You could count the boy’s lunch. Two fish and five loaves of bread equaling seven pieces. Seven, the number of completion! Jesus took what was given, and He blessed it, and it was multiplied.
“How many vs. how much. How many you can count, how much comes by faith!” Steven Furtick
God will meet your needs when you place what you have in His hands and then trust him. He may not give you all of it at once. Like manna that fed the children of Isreal, He will provide for the needs you have for one day. I wake up, and I realize my bills due today are paid. We have food to eat and gas in the car; for today. Of course, my greatest need was salvation, and forgiveness of my sins, and He provided for that as well.
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. Mat. 6:34 (MSG)
I am currently in a situation I never saw coming or planned for, and if I had known it was coming, I would have resisted it, or worse, said, “No, God.” For I would have looked at it in the natural and had seen the “how many” and have thought, “There is no way! I can’t afford that!” Yet, I have to admit God is making a way. He is funding this project because it is His project! It is genuinely day by day, but His faithfulness provides. “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Yes, you could count the boy’s lunch. Two fish and five loaves, yet in the end, it was more than enough!
Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.
“No! I won’t give it to him,” cried out the six year old.
After my father passed away, recently, I reflected on his life, and realized there were a lot of gifts, “life lessons” he gave me, but today I want to share the 5 biggest ones.
What do you charge for your LOVE? Is that by the ounce, gallon, hour, or some other form of measurement? Do people, or your family, feel you can’t be bothered? Your friends never ask for a favor, because they know you won’t help for whatever convenient excuse you flip to in your “excuse Rolodex”? LOVE is more than words. It is action. It does. It does whatever it takes. It does, whatever it can, for others.
You sleep, you wake, usually before you are ready.
Mary held him close enough to hear him breath. To feel his chest move in and out. To see every radiant color of his eyes. Her heart melted when he smiled. Just think what an honor it must have been to be that close to God. To hold God in your hands.
ord, “God I love you so much. I will do anything you ask me to. I will go anywhere in your name. God I’ll even go to Iraq if you want me to.” But God said, “I want you to go next door and speak to your neighbor. Maybe you don’t think they care about me, but you don’t know their heart like I do”
brady, mark a. 