Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Reading: John 6:1-15
Reflection: Its pretty early in the morning, and I'm not sure that I am all here this morning since I haven't had my morning coffee. However, as I read this text at the dawn of a new day, several things stand out to me. First of all, I notice that while none of us want to be seen as needy people, if we don't have a need, we aren't a candidate for a miracle. However, if I have a need, then I have the chance to see God do a miracle in my life. So maybe rather than being ashamed of an area of need in my life, I should start viewing those needs as opportunities for a miracle.
Second, before a miracle happens...at least in this text...someone has to see the need and be willing to give everything they have to meet that need. In this text, that person is a little boy. It is often stated that the loaves the boy gives are the wafers poor people ate and that the fish are small fish the poor could afford. I haven't researched that myself, but I'm guessing that this is true. Even so, this boy saw the need before him and while what he had wasn't much, he was willing to give everything he did have to meet the need. What a lesson for me. God doesn't call me to give what I do not have. He doesn't necessarily expect me to have all that is needed to fulfill the need. But, He does want me to give what I can. Too often I want God to do a miracle so I wont have to do anything. But that's not what happened here. The boy gave all he had.
Third, Jesus took what was given and multiplied it so that the need was fully met. Jesus made the impossible possible. He filled the gap between what was given and what was necessary to meet the need. So, if I have a need and someone...or I...take all I have and give it to Jesus, trusting that He will take what I give and multiply it until the need is met, perhaps I might see a miracle. So, do you have a need in your life? Then you are a candidate for a miracle. Do you know someone who has a need? Then you can be used by God to provide the seed needed for a miracle to happen. Don't feel you have nothing to offer because you can't fully meet the need. Just give all you can into the hands of Jesus and pray that He will multiply your efforts until the need is met. And finally, when its all done, make sure that its Jesus who gets the glory...after all He is the one who makes the impossible possible.
I've read this passage many times before, but this morning something new jumped out at me. I've always overlooked the part two of Jesus’ disciples played in the story and only saw the boy's gift and the miracle. Philip, when asked about how to feed the crowd, only saw the impossible task and he chose to focus on the financial cost. Andrew, on the other hand, tried to be part of the solution. Granted, what he found - the boy's lunch - wasn't nearly enough from a human perspective, but at least Andrew chose to try.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Tom, that we (I) need to offer the resources available to us to minister to others. Occasionally we might have enough to meet the entire need, but most of time we only have the opportunity to give what little we have. In those times we can choose to be like Andrew and the boy – participate in a miracle!
How true! The news yesterday that we were having way more men than we anticipated initially created a bit of panic in me. And yet, God must know what He is doing. So, what I need to do is review my resources, give them all to the Lord with a heart willing to be fully involved and work with all I have, and trust that He will make up the gap between what I can offer and what needs to be done! I'm praying for a miracle to fill the gap!
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