Yesterday our pastor was present and preached. He is a whimsical speaker with lots of loud noises and animation. He likes to take you into the story, bring you into his head so to speak. He puts a "today spin" on the historical happenings of the bible. Personally, I love it!
He was on fire in his teaching. The story was about the five loaves and two fish.
* This was the same message that was spoken two weeks prior, so it was clear to me, THERE IS A MESSAGE HERE that I was to hear, that my heart was to be open to!
How Jesus was speaking to the crowds of thousands, and He went on and one and one. How the twelve disciples came to Jesus and to "wrap it up" they thought in sharing "the people" were hungry would maybe get Him to wrap things up. Jesus asked the disciples to have the people sit, he would feed them. The looks on their faces when they see that there are only five loaves and two fish. Oh the doubts that must have run through their holy heads. Oh how good He is. Jesus blessed the five loaves and blessed the two fish and He had each of the disciples bring a basket to Him. He would place within their basket the blessed food and ask them to go and serve the people. Each disciple, eye rolling and grunting I'm sure taking the basket and wondering at which point the people would enter into an uproar. Ohhh yeah of little faith.
The story goes on to share that the twelve disciples, with their twelve baskets fed the multitude of people. After all received as much as they could eat, the disciples returned with their baskets OF LEFT OVERS to Jesus. I can not begin to imagine, oh but I so would have loved to have been there. Jesus full of blessings, and power. Confident in his ways and full of giving!
I've seen Jesus work in such a way. Many times in my own life. It may not be five loaves and two fishes. But multiplying blessings in my life - Yes you bet chya!
I had One Son. Who filled my life completely, I couldn't begin to imagine loving another child as much as I loved him. To be honest, I was scared I wasn't capable of loving another as much as I loved him. God doubled my blessings and multiplied my love by a gazillion. Never once have I doubted that I have enough love for my two children. And then God blessed me again, with a step son. Would I be able to love him as much as I love my "own" children. HA! God had that covered too. My love again multiplied by another gazillion! And blessed with a husband as well, where would I find the time or love tank to fill all of their hearts? GOD WORKS IN AMAZING WAYS! I've never doubted that I love any of them enough, I love each of them more than I could have imagined! I am prayerful that I love my family as God would seek me to love them, to lead them, to nurture them, to have time for them. God provides all the time and love I need, His blessings rests on me as I love through Him onto my family.
And there are blessings as well one doesn't think about until you have time to look back and reflect. When I bought my house. I had a "wish list" that was unspoken, but there were hopes and desires for what I was in search of. I prayed about it, and God in all His amazing giving, provided for me not only the house but the blessing in being able to finance it on my own. I gave the Lord my prayers and He blessed me in His time, with His blessing.
The blessing of a relationship with my husband. I lie awake at night with my arm extended out to the right side of my bed and I would pray that God would bring into my life the man that lie in his bed with prayers similar to mine. I was prayerful that God would bless me with a relationship that He was the foundation in, that He was the center of, that He blessed to me. In giving my prayer to him and allowing Him to work, His will and His timing - I was blessed beyond my own prayers. Now, when I extend my arm out to the right, it wraps nicely about my amazing God blessing of a husband.
The blessing of a job that I wasn't looking for. My husband and I were prayerful that God would direct me, where I was supposed to go, what I was supposed to be doing. We had no idea, that God was already blessing me, before we knew that we were being blessed. Long before we prayed about God leading me, God was putting the pieces into place to move me to where He wanted me to go. He made it very clear and very real, His will for me. We gave Him our prayer in seeking change and He blessed me in such a way there was no denying His presents or His will.
"But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them.
Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over." Luke 9:14-17
In my life I've learned that the Five Loaves and Two Fishes, they are real - every day real! God is capable of doing abundantly more than we can imagine or even contemplate imagining. And I've learned this - GIVE TO THE LORD YOUR DESIRES, YOUR HOPES, YOUR DREAMS, YOUR FEARS and HE WILL TAKE THEM. When He gives them back to you, it is your taking care of those blessings, your grateful heart of thankfulness that tells him YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH.