Monday, April 16, 2012

Giving the Lord Everything

   I am so blessed! This weekend I was able to go home and watch Katherine in a talent show and then celebrate Meagan's birthday on Saturday! Being able to go home and spend time with my family is precious precious time to me. Spending time with Taylor's family is also precious time to me as well. On Sunday I got the privledge to go to my parent's Sunday School class and listen to Mr. Key teach. I always love listening to what God has placed on his heart and hearing his challenge for us. This week he taught on Jesus feeding the 5,000.

"Jesus replied, 'They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.' 'We have here only 5 loaves of bread and two fish,' they answered. 'Bring them 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."
                                                          Matthew 14:16-19a

   Originally the disciples wanted Jesus to send away the crowd. They had had a long day and were probably tired and just wanted some alone time with Jesus. But He told them not to send the crowds away and to feed them themselves. I wonder what the disciples thought about this. I know I would have probably protested right then! "But God I am tired. I just want to get some rest. They can feed themselves." Why is it that we are so caught up in ourselves so many times that we can literally look right in the face of others needs and still just walk away? I pray that the Lord opens my eyes to when I am being slefish in this way and guides me to help whoever is in need. This passage reminds us that the disciples were just like us: human. Dirty, sinful, selfish and in desperate need of a Savior.

   Mr. Key also brought up the point that the disciples gave the Lord all they had. They did not hold anything back for themselves, but when the Lord asked how much they had, they told Him and gave Him it all. And He did above anything that we could fathom. He performed a miracle that turned those 5 loaves and 2 fish into enough to feed over 5,000 people and still have left-overs! Jesus was able to perform this miracle because the disciples were obidient and gave Him all they had. Jesus still calls us to do that today. When we chose to follow Him, He wants it all! Every part of us, everything we own, all within us, EVERYTHING! And He deserves it all! When we give Him our all, He is able to do mighty things that we cannot even fathom. "He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." Job 5:9 I want to give Him my all! I want to give Him everything! Sometimes, it is hard for me, though. When I find myslef wanting to show my "human"side of selfishness to the Lord, I ask Him to change my heart and to soften it and remind me that He is the boss of my life and in control of everything! Wow. What a mighty God I serve!

    The Lord has given us all different gifts and talents and when we give them back to Him fully, He performs wonderful miracles. A great way to do this is to go on Mission Trips. Churches love to go on mission trips over the summer! I encourage everyone to at least go on one mission trip in their life. It is a great way to take everyone's God-given talents and put them all together and accomplished great things for the Kingdom of Christ. I loved going New Orleans every spring break in high school and helping the people there after Huricane Katrina. While we had fun helping people out with their physical labor work, the most precious times of mission trips are the conversations about the Lord that I got the chance to have with people.


   God is God, He can use anything we give Him. Give Him your everything this week and look around and see where you can use the talents and gifts He has given you to give back to Him. I promise, you won't regret it.