You are a miracle waiting to happen
We are never without anything to offer. We are never just one more amongst the multitude.
The little boy with five barley loaves and two small fishes never knew that he would have such spiritual and historical significance.
We too don’t know who he is.
He remains that nameless person who willingly sacrificed his food because he was asked.
He didn’t offer it up proactively recognising the need of the hour. Nor did he know what would be done with his food. It was late, people were hungry, it would grow dark, there would be no food for anyone including the boy for a long, long, long, time.
What would you do in such a situation with your resources. Hold it close to your chest right? Maybe find that one or two people you really like and be willing to share it with them exclusively. Isn’t this how most of us have designed our lives - how much and what we will actually share with whom…even when asked?
Regardless of how much another’s’ need is, we have made our exclusive arrangements and hold it closely to our chest.
God created each of us. He made us for HIS purposes but gave us the choice to willingly accept this purpose or reject it. We are not bound by destiny to act in a certain way without free choice and will. Destiny only already knows our choices and will.
As long as we have the mindset to cling to what we have, as long as we have the mindset to be unwilling to let go of what we ALREADY have, we cannot participate in God’s miracle, nor experience the fullness of God’s miracle in our lives.
In today’s context, that the little boy willingly sacrificed his resources is big miracle in itself.
In a world where people refuse to even exert themselves more than minimally necessary, and are happy to remain idle, lazy, and fat, their need to cling ferociously to what they already possess is understandable. It is too much of an effort to be the person who produces and contributes.
Yet this is the purpose that God has for each of us - to be in His image. To be persons who create, produce, contribute, and give.
He didn’t create us to be defensive, resistant, unwilling, and idle.
We are equal in ability but different in capability. It is our choices and will that convert our abilities into capabilities.
Each of us have the ability to love, forgive and be merciful. Only a few have the capability of doing so.
Each of us have the ability to be selfish, inward looking, and thoughtless. Perhaps too many of have chosen this to be their capability.
To fear the future. This is natural. To not want a lesser lifestyle than what one already possesses. This too is natural. To not want to risk giving up (sacrificing) what is known and possessed, for what is unknown, and unseen is natural.
Yet for the Christian it is unnatural to choose these natural ways.
Being Christian, being saved, being born again means choosing the supernatural way.
Choosing the life of sacrifice.
Not sacrifice to remain idle in poverty or shame, but proactive sacrifice which consistently and constantly places demands on our own self to aspire to those perfect ideals of what our Lord calls perfect.
Sacrifice, because we realise always that what we have in our hands is simply lesser than what we are yet to receive.
This is the simplest article of faith - the sure knowledge that what is still to come, what is still to happen, what is still to be received and possessed is always far far greater than what we already do possess.
Most of us will never need to walk on the water, part the sea, raise the dead, or cause the lame to walk.
Yet we will all, always, need to give up what we already have, and in trust, aspire and work towards that unseen ideal, known only in our hearts, and expectantly wait for God’s miracle - again, and again, and again, - in our lives.
We are never lost in a crowd. God has not forgotten anyone.
He cares for our spirit. He cares for our body. He cares for us more than we can or know how to care for ourselves.
All it takes is to be like that little boy and walk in faith.
God is here. Just now. With you.
He knows what you need. He understands. He will provide.
All you need, is to be willing, to momentarily experience the natural pain of separation from what you’ve been accustomed to.
N. B. Everyone, I presume knows the miracle of feeding the five thousand by using one boy’s lunch. You can google John 6: 1-13 to read it.