A while back,
I heard Christine Caine teach about the loaves and fishes. She taught how the ordinary and the little can
be multiplied and made big. When the
child shared his lunch she thought back to the mother that prepared it for
him. The mother would have baked bread
each day and place the loaves into her son’s lunch. But that day, by the sharing,
the thanks giving of Jesus and the blessing, they were multiplied to serve
thousands. This lesson stayed with me
and it has grown.
Sometimes,
the little we do makes a big impact through Jesus.
Thousands
had gathered to listen to Jesus and in time they needed food. The child had
some food. He was undaunted by the
excess of need. He just gave what he had
in order to help.
John 6:9
ISV “There's
a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are
these among so many people?"
Jesus, in
thankfulness for what was given and not belittling the shortfall of enough,
received the little, gave thanks to the Father for it, and blessed it. In the simple giving from the little child,
to the accepting and receiving it of even a little bit, Jesus was thankful and
blessing it; He multiplied it.
I have taken
this to heart.
There is
much in every little bit of little to be thankful for and to pray blessing on
it.
Friends. Ministry. Food. Finances. Family.
Kindnesses. Work. Creativity. Health. Home. I’m listing some things, but it is
endless. Whatever you have received no
matter what its quantity is, can be a word of thanks to God for and a blessing
said upon it.
Taking our eyes off of what isn’t to what is
with gratitude and God’s blessing changes the heart, the mind and the soul to a
place of contentment, joy and appreciation.
When that happens, it seems everything becomes enough and more than
enough. It is a place of faith for what
is and Who provides.
I had
finished doing some prayer ministry at the end of a church service. It had been emptying out and I saw a frail
looking elderly woman sitting in the back by herself. I sat down beside her and introduced
myself. I asked her if she had anything
she’d like prayer for. She answered, “Oh
no, I am so grateful. I have so much to
be thankful for!” She told me how she
had broken her leg and it is taking a bit of time to heal, but she is able to
come to church with her cane and she is so thankful for it and touched her cane. She continued saying she is grateful for her husband. “He
likes to sit in front and I like to sit in back. He’s still up there. I go to a different church, but I came here
with him today. He takes such good care
of me. He does everything for me at
home. He cooks and cleans. We love our home. God is so good to me and to us.”
I asked if I
could pray continued blessings for her and she said, “Oh, yes!” We prayed and gave thanks for all Jesus had
given her and her husband and we prayed for His hand of blessing and grace to continue to
shine on her and him. Soon her husband
was standing beside her and I told him I had the pleasure of meeting his Bride
and got to pray a blessing. He was
elderly, too and had obvious physical things hampering him. His first words to me were, “We are so
thankful for all God does for us. I’m
thankful for her.”
They saw
what they had; each other. They didn’t
focus on difficulties and lack, but what was good and that those things were
because of God and they were grateful. I
believe they will always see His blessings in their lives. There will be more and more as their eyes
always look to Him with thankful hearts.
In ministry,
praying for one person, serving them in whatever way you have that you are able
to and praying blessing for them has been multiplied so many times. I’ve learned it isn’t the size of a
congregation or church, but the serving of who you have and a blessing that
Jesus takes and multiplies it through them.
One person or a few. One should
never be disappointed with a small church, a small Bible study or only one
friend that comes to Jesus, but thank God for who is there and bless them.
I’ve watched
one person later begin a vast outreach as Jesus multiplies through her. I’ve watched projects of just a few pieces be
used by many and become more. Those
prayers for individuals can bear much more than you can imagine.
It is the
nature of God. Every seed yields a plant
that will bear many more seeds from it.
The question of, “What do you see when you see an acorn?” An easy answer is an oak tree, but thinking
more fully to its potential, it is a forest.
That is the multiplicity of God. By one couples’ sharing of their thankfulness
with me, one person, I am able to share their hearts with you. Their lives and God's testimony in them reach out further.
Know that
even if you don’t have enough to take care of everything, be thankful to Jesus
for every bit of little and speak His blessing over it. He will make more of it than you can imagine.
It is His nature. Sometimes you find yourself doing nothing
more after that, than just watching it grow.
Thank You,
Jesus.
