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Day 11
When Jesus looked up and
saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy
bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to
test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread
for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples,
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy
with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go
among so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down."
There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five
thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave
thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He
did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough
to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let
nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled
twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those
who had eaten.
(John 6:5-13)
$4,000,000
isn’t chump change. It’s a huge amount of money.
What a dilemma! Not for the Savior who feeds thousands from a boy’s
small picnic lunch. Like then, today He still has in
mind what to do and His plans transcend all understanding.
Like Philip
we might focus on wages, the economy and the huge amount of money needed.
But, like Philip we’d be wrong. Philip needed to
focus on Jesus, the One whose hand opens up and
satisfies the desire of every living thing.
Like Andrew
we might make suggestions, thinking whatever we try, whatever resources we
have, they won’t be enough. Like Andrew, we again will
be wrong if we forget that God can and will take our efforts and bless them
for His own purposes.
What about
that little boy? Is he someone with whom we can
identify? He showed up that day to listen to Jesus.
Then, when asked by Jesus for all he had, he gave it.
That boy didn’t worry about what he’d eat on the way home. He simply
gave what he had.
What does
God want us to learn along the way toward our goal? Like
Philip do we need to focus more on Jesus and less on money?
Like Andrew do we need to trust that God blesses the work of His
children? Like the boy do we need to simply listen
wholeheartedly and then respond wholeheartedly to Jesus?
Along the way, Christ will bless. He already has
in mind what He will do. His plan to bless us does
transcend all understanding. And, just as He had in mind
to bless with more than food on that hillside about 2000 years ago, He has
in mind to bless us with more than a renovated and expanded building.
He desires to build our trust in Him.
Question to Consider
1) When you think about the monumental task
before us, who do you feel most like? Philip?
Andrew? The boy? Who does
our congregation as a whole feel most like?
2) What spiritual focus do you/we need to ask
of Christ?
3) Which is more difficult for Jesus, a) to
feed thousands with a few morsels or b) open the hearts of hundreds of His
people to give toward our future Gospel Ministry?
Prayer
Dear Lord, grant me a heart that listens and
responds to You. Take my efforts and make them Yours,
for Your glory and for the good of Your people. Amen. |
