THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 6:35-44
“Looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.” (Mark 6:41)
As a Jesus follower, I am committed to serving and blessing those in need.
But like the disciples, I find myself overwhelmed by all the need in the world.
Like the disciples, I want the problem to go away (v.36).
But the Lord has other ideas, He wants to work WITH me to address these needs.
God is willing to do great things WITH us, not just for us.
God wants us to be a part of solving the world’s (and our own) needs.
But there’s too much, we don’t have the resources to do this by ourselves.
Exactly, by ourselves we do not… but who said anything about by ourselves?
With God, what we have is exactly enough to do what God wants to do WITH us.
Like Jesus, we look up beyond the need to the Provider of our needs.
With Jesus we offer our limited resources to God, and trust Him to use them.
Don’t focus on what you don’t have or can’t do, but on what you do have and can do.
Take these ‘meager’ resources and entrust them to God, and watch what He will do.
With God, we have everything we need to do what He calls us to do!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, may I not focus on my inability but on our ability together. By myself it’s too much, but You are not sending me by myself. Show me today how You can use and multiply my meagre resources to bless many!
As I read this passage several thoughts came:
– God provides, as He did with His children in the wilderness, here too with the 5,000. God gives us our daily bread for He is the Bread of Life. My Provider. His gifts, no matter how small, shared with those in need. Reminds me of the widow giving all for Jesus. God is the answer and I too need to be fed by His Word – life giving Word.
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
[or Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer…]
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
– God gives abundantly. All what I have is more than I need. Why? I need to share that abundance with others. He has blessed me and I need to be a blessing to others. My gifts for the people who lack. All what I have is His to share freely.
He said:
‘Freely, freely you have received;
freely, freely give.
Go in my name and because you believe,
others will know that I live.’