I remember receiving an email from Ann Dalton a couple years ago. At the end of her email was a quote that said:
Those who leave everything in God’s hand will eventually see God’s hand in everything.
After hearing Ryan’s message on Sunday about five loaves and two fish, I was reminded of that quote.
In his devotional on Monday he said:
“Five loaves and two fish is a tiny amount of food compared to the masses who needed it. However, it wasn’t the size of the offering that mattered in the story, it was the fact that it was in the hands of Jesus. I think a similar principle applies to us. Jesus doesn’t require large offerings or big things from us. Jesus requires people of faith who will hear His voice, and respond faithfully. The challenge for us as followers of Jesus is to learn to listen to Jesus well, and obey quickly. When we’re hearing God, even the smallest act of obedience, like five loaves and two fish, can be a miracle.”
Ryan outlined very clearly through the story of the five loaves and two fish that regardless of the size of the offering or how big things look to us, when God’s hand is in it, everything is possible.
Matthew 19:26 (NIV) says
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
For me the challenge is leaving everything in God’s hands. When things become our duty, responsibility or have been placed in our hands by others to care for and steward, I find that we have a tendency to hold on to them tightly or perhaps longer than we should.
What I mean by that is we take our roles, responsibilities, time, talents and treasures that were given to us and we hold on to them as if they are ultimately ours. Sometimes holding on to them for a long time can become a part of who we are.
The scripture reminds us that our lives belong to the Lord and I’d like to believe that it includes everything in it.
For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. 8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.
Romans 14:7-9 (NLT)
Perhaps, what we have been given is merely something for us to hold on to and steward until Jesus tells us what to do with it.
A better analogy of what I believe we should do with everything we are given is perhaps play “hot potato” and pass it on. I don’t mean forgo your duties and responsibilities, or neglect your time, talents and treasures that have been given to you.
All I mean is that perhaps when we receive something from God, instead of taking it and trying to do what we want with it, we should turn back around to God and ask Him what He wants us to do with it or even why He gave it to us in the first place?
Let me share with you a real life example:
As many of you know by now, we are giving away the winter care-packages we assembled to the refugees on December 9th. We were looking for a way to bless the refugees and give them something tangible that they can leave with besides a full stomach.
I think that for most of you, choosing to give away winter care-packages to the refugees would be a simple decision. They are technically homeless and are clearly in need of help. However, I was personally struggling with this decision. It was not because I didn’t think they needed it or that it wouldn’t help them. I struggled with the decision because I had a different idea of what the packages would be used for and where they would go.
When I first took on the responsibility of planning for the winter care-packages, I had my brother in mind. I was motivated to work hard and plan/organize these winter care-packages. I had in my head the idea that these packages were to be used for the purposes of giving to the homeless on the streets. So when the team decided that we could use the winter care-packages as a gift for the refugees, I was taken back because of what I thought the purpose of these packages was intended for and who I thought they were going to go to.
As I understood that this was where the team was headed, I brought this to God.
I remember the dialogue I was having with myself and God. It went something like this: “I put in so much work…” “All my efforts went into making these for…” “I thought these packages were for…” The more I stewed in my thoughts, the more upset I got. What I had cared for and stewarded was being used for something I did not plan for or intend on doing.
In my eyes, I had every right to say “No, we are going to use the winter care-packages for what we originally proposed for them.” In my eyes, I was given the role and responsibilities to create, plan and organize the making of the winter care-packages, and I had used my time, talents and treasure to complete the assignment and steward what was given to me.
However, I had forgotten that the winter care-packages were not mine at all. The winter care-packages, just like many other things in my life, were given to me to care for and steward well for the purposes God decides.
The reality is this: God has every right to decide what He wants to do with what He has given us.
God was asking me if I was willing to submit to Him. The irony here is that God was really asking me “will you return to me what I had given you to hold/care for/steward.”
What I had failed to realize was that my roles, responsibilities, time, talents and treasures were all used to help care for and steward what was God’s, not what was mine. Everything that came out of my mouth had to do with me and what I wanted. It had pride written all over it. I held on tight to the “five loaves and two fish in my hands” and I struggled to leave it in God’s hands.
The reality is that these refugees are just as much in need of winter care-packages as the homeless in the streets of Toronto. Who’s to say that God was not planning this from the start?
With the way things are coming together with this Christmas dinner, it’s as if God already knew that LifeSpring would answer the call.
Ryan challenged us with a question “What are the five loaves and two fish in your hands?”
I’d like to continue the challenge by asking “What does God want you to do with it?”
Are you willing to leave everything in God’s hands so that you can see God’s hands in everything?