I heard a new slant on a familiar Bible story at the GLS by Pastor Albert Tate last week. It just shows that God's Word is timeless and bottomless! We can keep mining it for those "nuggets" of wisdom all our lives. We've all heard the story about Jesus feeding the 5,000 from John 6:5-13;
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, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to 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 they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 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.
This little boy shows up out of no where - gives up his lunch - and then disappears - and never referred to again. Hmm...
The great truth - the boy gave what he had and then got out of the way!
Wow, that's a great lesson for all of us. So many times we just get in God's way, or try to control things. Next time let's give God what we have and let Him do what He does best. It will amaze you, and everyone else. Amen?
