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Thoughts for a Woman's Heart |
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encouragement in things that matter |
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Did You Pack a Lunch for Jesus? |
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An excited young boy wanted to join his friends on the day’s excursion to be part of the crowd and the curiosity that was following the prophet they were still trying to figure out. Impatiently, he waited as his mother carefully packed a basket with an evening meal for him. "Just in case," she was saying, "it starts getting late and you start getting hungry." The boy turned toward the open doorway, and saw his friends, full of their own energy and curiosity, but holding nothing in their hands. His mom added, "And perhaps you can share your barley loaves and smoked fish with your friends, if you’re not overly hungry." As she handed her son the covered basket, he darted quickly to catch up with the other boys who had already headed down the dusty street.
We all know the rest of the story. The crowd that followed Jesus that day probably numbered close to 10,000 when everyone was counted. The day did grow long, and not only did the boy become hungry, but the rest of the crowd did as well. The boy’s supper was still covered and uneaten, but any other snacks that had been brought that day by the curious crowd had been consumed hours earlier. Both Jesus and His disciples recognized the need that was before them. And in knowing the rest of the story, we know the excited young boy hadn’t lost his excitement, and eagerly gave his meal to Andrew who brought it to Jesus. Jesus multiplied the gift so that it more than satisfied the appetites of every person present.
Would you have packed a meal that day for your son? Can you imagine the boy’s exuberance and his mother’s bewilderment when he attempted to explain to her what had happened? She had done something very ordinary in a manner she was accustomed to, to fulfill a common role that God had placed her in. But her ordinary gift became a gift for the life-imparting Son of God, to do something very extra-ordinary with. Most of us see ourselves as very ordinary women fulfilling very common roles. God sees our ordinary as a place for Him to accomplish His extra-ordinary through us and because of us. It won’t happen though if we look for a place of recognition or demand thanks for the multitude of little things we do every day. It will happen as we give ourselves wholeheartedly to the mundane and the ordinary of our daily lives, seeking to please the God who placed us there, and the people He has surrounded us with.
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— Bev |
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Readers are invited to respond to Bev by contacting her at WHeart@BethanyBibleFellowship.org. We are sorry that she cannot personally answer your emails, but she will try to address your questions and concerns in future articles. |
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