I've just watched a YouTube post from Dallas Jenkins, creator and director of the series The Chosen, where he tells of a message he was given by someone he hardly knew, which gave him comfort and strength in a time when he couldn't see his way forward. Thank you, Dallas, for sharing this testimony with us.
The message he received was that it wasn't his job to feed the 5000, but to just provide the loaves and the fish, as the disciples did! (Matthew 14:13-21 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
“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.)
This is a powerful and humbling message because sometimes we overreach ourselves, in our jobs, in our relationships, and in our daily lives in general, thinking that we have to do it all on our own. We forget that we aren't on this journey alone.
It isn't up to us to do every little thing, otherwise there would be nothing left for anyone else to do. We are only expected to do so much - use our individual skills, yes, but also to employ the appropriate co-workers, provide the necessary tools, resources and equipment - to complete the business in hand. We should not forget that we are small, albeit important, cogs in a much larger machine.
This applies to all of us, but most especially to those of us that are journeying with God and are co-labourers with Him, for without Him we can do nothing. All of our efforts will fail if God is not at the centre of it all. We don't know the whole of God's plan, but we each have a vital part to play in its fruition.
I know that we all want to do the best the we can in all aspects of our lives but we need to know that God doesn't expect us to do everything. We only need to do as much as we can, to the best of our ability, and He will do the rest. If we only trust in Him all will be well.
Just give the Lord all that He is due - your faith, your love, your heart, soul and mind - and leave the miracles to Him.
All glory to God in Heaven. Let our praises ring out to show the world that God is a wonderful Father and that we are His chosen children!
Amen
