I remember a story on the news a few years ago about a fire that had started on the side of the highway. A passerby pulled her car over, grabbed a few 12oz water bottles, and began dowsing, or perhaps more accurately sprinkling, the fire before it got out of control. It would have been easy to criticize this woman’s act. How could a few small bottles of water extinguish a fire? Didn’t she know that wouldn’t do anything? Why was she even trying? But then, someone else pulled over with a Camelbak full of water, and another with more bottles of water. More and more vehicles stopped offering help. When the fire department showed up, there were Jerry Cans, water bottles, canteens, and an assortment of other emptied containers that mitigated the fire until the firefighters were able to completely put out the blaze. This woman’s small act sparked a response in others that accomplished far more than she was able to do.

John 6:1-15 tells the story of Jesus’ fourth sign. He demonstrated his power over the natural order by miraculously turning five loaves and two fish into an abundance of food that fed 5,000 families and then filled 12 baskets with the leftover bread. Something quite remarkable happened, however, just before this miracle: a boy offered the bread and fish. I imagine Andrew patronizingly thanked the boy for his donation. After all, “what are they for so many?” Jesus, on the other hand, had different plans.

God wants us to partner with Him in his plan to bring His kingdom to Earth. There is no way anything you or I could do, could possibly accomplish such a feat. But, when we are willing to give God all that we have, He opens the flood gates of heaven and accomplishes far more than we could ever imagine.

In Christ,

Chappy