Apr
22
2014
Hand It Over
Posted in Faith 2 Comments
I saw a nest.
A nest in the beginning stages.
Tucked away from human hands but not from human eyes.
A masterpiece of creativity and resourcefulness.
Upon first inspection it looked like a regular nest.
Upon closer inspection I was surprised at what I saw.
Among the twigs and the sticks there was a piece of plastic.
Plastic that was woven into the nest with great precision.
I tried to envision the bird flying with the piece of plastic in its beak.
I tried to imagine the bird weaving that long piece of plastic into the nest’s design.
I peered closer without touching the nest.
There among the twigs and the sticks and the plastic was a piece of ribbon.
A beautiful piece of lavender colored ribbon.
It probably fell out of a little girl’s hair, as she was dressed in her Easter finest.
Lost to her but used expertly by the nest-building bird.
Functional and beautiful, it set the nest apart from all the others.
I am sure that making the nest noticeable was not the bird’s intention.
The ribbon served a purpose.
The tiny piece of ribbon was the perfect size for the nest.
Nothing was wasted; everything was utilized.
Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is the Sea of Tiberius) and a great crowd of people followed Him because they saw the miraculous signs He had performed on the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with His disciples. The Jewish Passover feast was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming towards 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?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they all had enough to eat, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted. So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. (John 6:1-13)
What can Jesus do with our little bit?
Scraps of plastic and pieces of ribbon in a nest are truly amazing.
But five loaves and two fish feeding five thousand is a miracle.
Jesus takes our little bit and multiplies it for His glory.
There are no scraps in Jesus’ hands.
Jesus already has in mind what He is going to do.
He has plans to use our little bit that we could never imagine.
His ways are higher and better and far more abundant in scope than our ways.
We have to be willing to hand our little bit over to Him.
What if the little boy refused to give his lunch away?
Imagine what would happen if the little boy said, Mine!
Miracles happen when we let go.
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it…(Psalm 24:1)
Oh, to be like Andrew.
Andrew put the boy’s little bit in Jesus’ hands.
He left it there; he knew that Jesus would know what to do.
Common sense said it was not enough to feed so many, but Andrew knew Jesus.
Jesus was filled with compassion for the people.
Jesus, the Shepherd, loved to care for His sheep.
Jesus’ miracles always pointed away from Himself and towards the Father.
Jesus, God’s Son, gave thanks to His Father in all things.
Everything belongs to God; it is all His to use as He sees fit.
Isn’t it far better to put your little bit into Jesus’ hands?
Keeping his lunch for himself would have only fed the little boy.
Giving his lunch away to Jesus fed the multitudes.
What little bit have you been holding onto far too long?
What little bit needs to be relinquished to Jesus’ hands?
What good is your little bit doing as you hold it close to your chest?
What good can Jesus do with something so seemingly insignificant?
Jesus can do everything with what we consider nothing.
Jesus can multiply our meager offering if we hand it over to Him.
Jesus takes our little bit and multiplies it for His glory.
Hand it over to Jesus and watch what happens.
This is so true, I think many people feel they have to have a “big” gift for the Lord to use, when it’s really that smile for a stranger, that card sent, that word of encouragement, and so many other “small” gifts that show how God is living in us.
Sue,
We forget how much HE can do with our little bit!
Gina