Jesus ALREADY has in mind…
I love the miracles of Jesus. Easily one of my favorites is when Jesus feeds five thousand people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish from some kids lunch. It’s amazing. It’s inspiring. He turned a meager meal into a straight up All You Can Eat Buffet. Most people know about this miracle. In fact it’s the only miracle that’s recorded in all 4 Gospels. But what is so amazing to me in this miracle is the obscure interaction that is recorded in John 6:6 between Jesus and Philip.
It says, “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, “It would take almost a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
I never noticed that tiny interaction between Jesus and Philip before, but I literally felt like I experienced that conversation first hand with Jesus in that moment. I am a lot like Phillip. I am an optimist that appreciates reality. While I tend to think of best-case scenarios I also believe that a leader needs to define reality and then help people see how to get to where they want to be. So much like Phillip – If I saw the hungry crowd and the kids lunch and I would have realistically predicted that it would take exactly 1 year before we can feed them all.
What I often overlook is that Jesus loves taking obvious situations and turning them into things that seem straight up impossible. For those of us that have ever been in a situation where you felt like all you literally have left is for God to come through – you know what I’m talking about.
I will be vulnerable and honest – Most days I feel like Philip. I look at our situation, I look at what we have in the bank, I look at our meager 5 loaves and 2 fish and my optimistic and practical self settles into reality instead of believing that Jesus already has in mind what he is going to do. He already knows and all he wants is for me to be faithful to bring what I have to the equation. So this past month we have been bringing every fish and loaf of bread we can find to the table – knowing that Jesus already knows what he is going to do with it. So today be encouraged and reminded.
- Jesus already has in mind what he is going to do with your finances.
- Jesus already has in mind how he is going to remedy the relational pain and complexity that you are facing.
- Jesus already has in mind how to turn your fears into opportunities for Faith.
- Jesus already has in mind how he wants to use your talents and gifts.
- Jesus already has in mind the best solutions to your problems that seem too big.
So we are gonna keep bringing our Little Lunchables to Jesus. And we believe that some of you might be able to be a part of what Jesus already has in mind to do with it for Soul City Church. There are 2 days left in this year – maybe you can help us add some more fish and loaves to our Year-End Start Campaign.
Click here if you want to see what Jesus can do with what YOU bring.
