Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.
I love how God shows us stuff from His word and then allows us to encourage others with the very thing He’s just shown to us!
Our church is currently doing Rick Warren’s 40 Days in the Word: Love the Word. Learn the Word. Live the Word. In my quiet time this week, I was reading the miracle of the loaves and fishes again. Each week’s lesson uses a different technique for memorization, understanding, and application of the Word. This week’s technique instructs us to read a specific passage of scripture, insert ourselves in the story as various characters, and then envision the story as a movie we’re in. (I love that part since that’s one of the ways I teach writing!)
Then it asks how the passage applies to our lives, and what are we–what am I–going to do about it.
I envisioned myself as the little boy with the lunch. I had the lunch that day only because my mom had made it for me. Nothing I did created the miracle.
At that point, I realized that even though the little boy was a huge part of the story, he was only a conduit for the delivery of the miracle. He wasn’t responsible for feeding all those people. He was only responsible for giving to Jesus what had been given to him.
The truth is, Jesus could have done that miracle with the lunch or without it. But He chose to use that little boy to make it happen.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. Mark 6:41 (NIV)
What a great reminder to all of us as speakers and writers! We all have gifts and talents. Not because of anything we did, but because they were given to us, just as the lunch was given to the little boy.
It’s our responsibility to turn around and give them back to Him to use as He sees fit. And, like with the loaves and fishes, Jesus can use us as conduits for the delivery of miracles.
What miracle might He do with our paltry gift offerings? Those things that were given to us?
We don’t know. All we know is that we’re to be prepared, go, and give…and He’ll take care of the rest!
Now what are we going to do about it?
I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
(Image art courtesy of Robert Wilson Fine Art)
