Waking up, sipping coffee and cracking open the Word.
I'm still reading in Matthew these days, there is just so much in this Gospel! I feel like I can't read more then a few lines without getting hit with something amazing. That's how it was for me this morning. Reading in Chapter 14.
"As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” Matthew 14:15-16 (NIV)
Let's just stop right there. The disciples saw a need and thought they had the answer. Jesus also sees the need, but His answer is very different.
"You give them something to eat."
Ever feel like that? Ever see a need and feel you should send the person to someone who can help better then yourself? That perhaps you don't have the wisdom or resources to offer?
Like the disciples, you see your limited resources and not the unlimited resources of the the Living God.
What would happen if, at that moment, instead of sending them away, we ask the Lord if He would like to use us to meet the need? Perhaps listen, see if the wisdom comes to mind to help a friend through a difficult time. Or perhaps give something of our own resources if led by God to do so?
Because the disciples obeyed Jesus here, they became part of His work. They got to feed five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish.
Imagine what that must have felt like, to be a part of that miracle.
The next time you see a need in front of you, take a moment before sending them away. Perhaps the Lord is whispering to you...
"You give them something to eat..."
