Day #327 - Multiplication
The Presence - A Devotional for living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder
“And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. 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 the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”
Matthew 14:19-20 NIV
Have you ever witnessed a creative miracle?
I’ve seen some creative miracles where people experienced the restoration of their physical health or the mending of broken part in their body. But I’ve heard stories about people that have fed multitudes with a small amount of food (and I don’t mean Bible stories, but stories from people who have these experiences in my lifetime). I believe God can do anything and so I would marvel and be in wonder about God multiplying food or causing some natural force to change for His purposes of showing His love, power and truth.
In Matthew 14, Jesus is healing people and a great crowd as amassed around Him (this story appears in all four gospel accounts of Jesus life). In fact, there were five thousand men, plus women and children, who had gathered. Jesus is so loving and good. He was moved with compassion and wanted to feed the people. But when he asked his disciples what food was available they were only able to come up with five loaves and two fish from a young boy. Jesus took the loaves and fish and looked to heaven giving thanks as He broke the bread. The food was multiplied to feed this large multitude so much so that there were twelve baskets leftover.
Jesus shows us the key to miracles and multiplication in our lives: thanksgiving. Gratitude has the power to work miracles. As many preachers have said, “What is in your hand?” Preachers share this because in the Scriptures we see repeatedly that all God needs to do something great is what we have in our hand or what we have on hand. God only needs our surrender with the little we have as we present it to Him with thanksgiving.
What could God do with the little that you have if you followed the model of Jesus? We ought to develop a gratitude fixation. Yes, I know very well that our circumstances often remind us that we are so limited with the little fish and loaves we have on hand. We can often feel overwhelmed by insurmountable odds. God specializes in doing His best works when we are outnumbered or under supplied. Let us be thankful for what we have and present it to Jesus with gratitude. The blessing comes from what we bring to Him with gratitude in “the Presence.” When He is near, anything is possible.
Lord Jesus, I present to You what I have in my hand and what I have on hand with thanksgiving. Thank You for what I do have. I repent for the times I focus on what I don’t have. I surrender to You all I am and all I have with gratitude. You are good! In Your name, amen.