Wed, Mar 18, 2009
Feed Them... God's Way
Are you doing great things for God but still missing the point? Sometimes I can get caught up in the awesome journey of being an instrument for God to help bring about sweet transformation in someone's life... but in the next moment, live as if I don't trust him at all!
In Luke 9, Jesus sends out the disciples with the power and authority to cast out all demons and heal all diseases, pretty big time stuff. And they must have had a ton of stories to share when they returned, as verse 10 implies. You notice there's no comment from Christ about this but that they slipped quietly away from the crowds. He surely knew that while they thought they had done something great, their lessons were only beginning.
He told them to feed the crowds. What I think is interesting is that they were more than excited to go out and cast out demons and heal the sick and "feed" the masses spiritual food in that way but when it came to practical food, they froze up and forgot that could be done as well - in fact, I wonder if God didn't use this example to teach them... well let me say it this way, there are a number of Christians who want to lead someone to Christ and pray with them but there are far less who will take the time to literally help them and provide for them in a practical way. Someone may pray with you and you may have the privilege to lead them to Jesus but when you are so concerned about their soul that it leads you to sacrifice yourself and your time and your comfort just for them, those aren't just words and a quick fix... that's proof of love and that's what talks and sticks to the bones like a big steak and potato dinner.
There were 12 baskets of leftovers... one for each of the disciples... a reminder for each one of them.
Do you have a basket of leftovers that God has left for you to learn from? And don't feel bad if you do - I'd rather him love me enough to continue teaching me than leave me alone to do "wonders" and then one day stand before him and he say, "Go away, I don't know you." Maybe you're resisting him right now and the leftover reminder will come later - trust him and obey him and here, here is the point... LISTEN to God and then simply do it, not getting caught up in the great things you're doing for him - it might become more about you and less about him.
Feed them... God's way.
In Luke 9, Jesus sends out the disciples with the power and authority to cast out all demons and heal all diseases, pretty big time stuff. And they must have had a ton of stories to share when they returned, as verse 10 implies. You notice there's no comment from Christ about this but that they slipped quietly away from the crowds. He surely knew that while they thought they had done something great, their lessons were only beginning.
He told them to feed the crowds. What I think is interesting is that they were more than excited to go out and cast out demons and heal the sick and "feed" the masses spiritual food in that way but when it came to practical food, they froze up and forgot that could be done as well - in fact, I wonder if God didn't use this example to teach them... well let me say it this way, there are a number of Christians who want to lead someone to Christ and pray with them but there are far less who will take the time to literally help them and provide for them in a practical way. Someone may pray with you and you may have the privilege to lead them to Jesus but when you are so concerned about their soul that it leads you to sacrifice yourself and your time and your comfort just for them, those aren't just words and a quick fix... that's proof of love and that's what talks and sticks to the bones like a big steak and potato dinner.
There were 12 baskets of leftovers... one for each of the disciples... a reminder for each one of them.
Do you have a basket of leftovers that God has left for you to learn from? And don't feel bad if you do - I'd rather him love me enough to continue teaching me than leave me alone to do "wonders" and then one day stand before him and he say, "Go away, I don't know you." Maybe you're resisting him right now and the leftover reminder will come later - trust him and obey him and here, here is the point... LISTEN to God and then simply do it, not getting caught up in the great things you're doing for him - it might become more about you and less about him.
Feed them... God's way.
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