John 6:5-9 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" (NIV)
Do you ever doubt that God can use you? Do you ever wonder "God what can I do? I have few talents, few things and I have so many limitations."
Look at the story about the feeding of the 5,000 in John. What did God use? What is the miracle? God used a little boy with his little brown lunch sack carrying just five small barley loaves and two small fish. Several miracles are going on here. To me it's a miracle the little boy willingly gave up all he had. Do you and I have the faith of the little boy? Are you willing to give up all for Christ to use you?
Jesus took what little the boy had and multiplied it for the benefit of many.
John 6:12 When they had all had enough to eat, He said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. (NIV)
God wastes nothing. The phrase "they all had enough to eat" could literally be translated "they were stuffed" or in modern terms "they pigged out!" God provides abundantly for us, wastes nothing. And then in the final gesture of His awesome grace, God provided for His workers. The disciples filled twelve baskets with the leftover bread.
Pretty awesome huh? God used that little boy's brown lunch sack to feed the 5,000. Don't we have more? You and I are so blessed. No matter who you are, what you are, how you are, where you are, what you have or what you don't have, God can use you.
Dear Father, use us to your glory. Take what we have to glorify you. Father help us to be willing vessels; help us to have the faith of the little boy who let You use his lunch. In Christ’s name, Amen.
David Massey