John 6:9 (The MSG)
One of the disciples—it was Andrew, brother to Simon Peter—said, “There’s a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.”
This morning in my quiet time, my Bible study lesson had me working in John 6 where Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand. It seemed appropriate and not at all coincidental to land here on the eve of our nation's presidential election.
In the context of this passage are Jesus, two of His disciples, Philip and Andrew, and a little boy who had a basket with five small barley loaves and two small fish. Oh...and a crowd of 5,000 who were hungry. One disciple when asked about the way to feed this mass of hungry people answered with a grim outlook, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Andrew, with a tad more optimism, spoke up and said, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
And then there was the boy who just had a basket with a little bit of food in it. It wasn't much, but it was something. It was all he had, and he offered it.
Jesus took it from there.
John 6:11 - 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."
It occurred to me that we as Christians can take the stance of any one of these three. All three were taken with Jesus. All three followed him. One saw no way possible. Another one saw the resource and then limited it with the word but. The little one with the basket of bread and fish gave what he had and did not question anything further. He just offered it.
My friends who are believers...all we have to offer up is our prayer and our vote. In our own eyes it may seem small and insignificant and that it won't make much of a difference, but it's an offering nonetheless, and what He does with it could be nothing short of a miracle.
I don't profess to know what is going to happen tomorrow with our election, or the next day, or the day after that. All I know is what I can offer up. I don't want to see with my own eyes because my vision is so limited; and I absolutely don't want to be a follower of Christ who puts limits on God Almighty. I just want to offer what I have. And in this day and in this election all that encompasses is my prayers and my vote.
I'm thankful to still have that.
One of the disciples—it was Andrew, brother to Simon Peter—said, “There’s a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.”
This morning in my quiet time, my Bible study lesson had me working in John 6 where Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand. It seemed appropriate and not at all coincidental to land here on the eve of our nation's presidential election.
In the context of this passage are Jesus, two of His disciples, Philip and Andrew, and a little boy who had a basket with five small barley loaves and two small fish. Oh...and a crowd of 5,000 who were hungry. One disciple when asked about the way to feed this mass of hungry people answered with a grim outlook, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Andrew, with a tad more optimism, spoke up and said, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
And then there was the boy who just had a basket with a little bit of food in it. It wasn't much, but it was something. It was all he had, and he offered it.
Jesus took it from there.
John 6:11 - 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."
It occurred to me that we as Christians can take the stance of any one of these three. All three were taken with Jesus. All three followed him. One saw no way possible. Another one saw the resource and then limited it with the word but. The little one with the basket of bread and fish gave what he had and did not question anything further. He just offered it.
My friends who are believers...all we have to offer up is our prayer and our vote. In our own eyes it may seem small and insignificant and that it won't make much of a difference, but it's an offering nonetheless, and what He does with it could be nothing short of a miracle.
I don't profess to know what is going to happen tomorrow with our election, or the next day, or the day after that. All I know is what I can offer up. I don't want to see with my own eyes because my vision is so limited; and I absolutely don't want to be a follower of Christ who puts limits on God Almighty. I just want to offer what I have. And in this day and in this election all that encompasses is my prayers and my vote.
I'm thankful to still have that.
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