“Bring them here to me,” he said. 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. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”- Matthew 14:18-21
Insight: Are we aware of the awesome multiplicative power Jesus has to change our circumstances and those around us? In fact, the entire Kingdom of God is run on Holiness by multiplication. When we take a step of faith, Jesus multiplies it with His power to bring His desired results. He is just waiting for us to take a leap of faith, or even a small step of faith, so He can enter into our circumstances and touch it and multiply it effects. The key is we have to take the first step, and then we have to invite Jesus in to touch it, through our prayers and requests. Prayer is what turns on His multiplier effects. Have we invited Him into our circumstances? If not, we are unintentionally muting His power to multiply.
One of the things that I thinks stops me, and maybe you, from taking a first step is we live in a world where people love instant gratification. They want the result even before the effort. We dislike small beginnings, but God tells us to love small beginnings. They begin in our heart, with a yearning to make a difference. To make the world better, whether with our time, talent or treasure, they all require us to “begin.” The Bible uses the metaphor of planting a seed, even a seed as small as a Mustard Seed, and watch what God can do with it. Mark 4:30-32 says it this way, “Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
The story above from Matthew 14:18-21 makes no sense apart from the fact that Jesus is not limited by what we feel is possible. He operates in a higher plain. He can multiply two fish and five loaves of bread too not only feed five thousand people, but to have plenty left over for snacks later on! What is required as a prerequisite? Our belief? Not necessarily. His Disciples weren’t believing He could feed the five thousand with what they had. But they simply brought to Him what they did have to offer. They took a step, a small beginning, by bringing what they did have. That is the key! Bring what you have and He will meet you where you’re at. What do you have to offer? Whatever it is, He can use it. It is not too small, and it is not insignificant if it started in your heart as a way to honor God. I have seen this at work many times in my life. He has taken my little, feeble efforts and touched them to my amazement because I brought something. Anything. I took a first step. He has helped me with addictions when I admitted i was too weak to deal with it on my own.. He has helped me with my fears, when I was aware of how incapable I was of dealing with them on my own and asked for His help. He has helped me with anger, with forgiveness, with letting go of bitterness, all by His Spirit alive in me. He has helped me with so many things. I simply had to take the first step. He did all the rest. Don’t denounce or give up on small beginnings. God never does.
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