I think I have said this before, but I absolutely love when I read a section of scripture for the one millionth time, and God reveals something new to me through it! I was reading Matthew 14:13-21 about the feeding of the 5,000. It is one of those Bible passages I unfortunately lump together with being a great Sunday School lesson.....I'm ashamed to admit that.....and I skim over it. It was one of Jesus' great miracles and His name was glorified through it. Many saw His power that day. The biggest miracle I saw, as I read this passage again, was the miracle of what happened in the hearts of His disciples.
Jesus asked His disciples to do the impossible on that day. He instructed them to feed 5,000 men and that number does not take into account the amount of women and children that would also have been present. They looked at Jesus dumbfounded (this is my commentary) and looked back at the amount of food they had: five loaves of bread and two fish. A little uncertain and feeling a bit inadequate and incapable of doing as Jesus asked they said, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." I can only imagine how impossible they felt this task was going to be. After all, Jesus had not said He would feed them.... He said, "....YOU give them something to eat!"
Jesus told His disciples to give to Him the food they had. He ordered 5,000 people to sit on the ground and, taking the food provided by His disciples, He blessed it, broke it, and gave the food to the disciples to hand out to the multitude. Imagine with me, the surprise and awe of the disciples as the food did not run out. In my mind, I can see them handing out the bread, getting to what seemed like the end of what was in their hands and thinking, "there is never going to be enough" and then watching as the food simply did not run out! Jesus took the bit the disciples had, multiplied it and everyone ate till they were satisfied.
After everyone was done eating, the disciples gathered the leftovers and filled up 12 baskets! This fact alone is amazing! They began with not enough, then they had enough....and not just enough, but they had more than enough, and ended up having more than they started with! Can you imagine their conversation among each other at the end of the day?! I am sure they stood in amazement of what they had seen!
Jesus showed them the possibilities of what He was able to accomplish through the little bit they had to offer. He showed them the impossible becomes possible THROUGH HIM! The inadequate becomes adequate THROUGH HIM! The incapable become capable THROUGH HIM! How encouraging and awesome this is! Jesus did not just do that for the disciples, He does it for you and me everyday!
I often feel that I have been asked to do the impossible. One of the impossibles in my life right now is having the amount of wisdom, patience, and understanding needed to raise an 11 year old daughter. And yet, Jesus has given her to us and has asked us to raise her. Most of the time, like the disciples, I do not feel I have enough to give. Feeling very incapable and inadequate I say to Him, "but all I have is a minimal amount of wisdom, patience, and understanding. I don't think it is enough!" How encouraging this section of scripture was to me as I read it. Jesus has not asked me to have enough. He has asked me to give Him what I have.....so that He can bless it and multiply it.....so that through Him I will have more than enough wisdom, patience, and understanding. And when it is all said and done, there will be more left over than what I started with!
I encourage you today. If you are feeling inadequate, incapable, and impossibilities loom in front of you, hand over to Jesus the bit you have. He will bless it, multiply it and provide you with more than you need and then some! He will turn your impossibility into possibilities. He will make you adequate and very capable! And all things become possible THROUGH HIM!
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