4-6-13
“…He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving
them to the disciples…” Luke
9:16b
While reading this very familiar passage
in Luke 9 describing Jesus feeding the 5,000, I was instantly reminded of the verse
and more specifically the phrase I would like to be remembered by once I've gone to be with Jesus face to face. It’s
in 2 Timothy 2:21 “Therefore, if a man
cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every
good work.” I’m hoping Laurie and/or
my family doesn't go to the expense but if they did and my life demonstrated it
to be true, I would really like that phrase to be written on my tomb stone; “He was useful
to the Master” I would so love to
go and face Jesus knowing my life was useful
to Him! Sadly, I don’t usually want
and sometimes even resist the Master’s method of making me truly useful…see if
you can relate.
Personally, I’m convinced one of the
reasons Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5,000 is one of only two miracles
recorded in all four gospels (the resurrection being the other) is because of
its critical and almost hidden message of how
God makes us useful to the Master.
Consider Luke 9:16b, first, He blessed them! Like the five loaves and few fish, in and of
ourselves we’re really not that much to write home about. When we consider how selfish, prideful, fickle,
stubborn, impatient, and downright unloving we are it’s amazing God gives us
another breath let alone blesses us. Yet
He relentlessly blesses us by Jesus,
Who is continuously praying for us before God the Father (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25;
1 John 2:1-2). God not only blessed us with Jesus in salvation by forgiving
all our sins but continues to bless
us in Jesus with His very life within us; always there, always praying for
us. Just think of how many prayers that Jesus
speaks to His Father that are not answered; NONE!! Try wrapping your head around that…as a son
of the Most High God everything that happens in my life is a result of Jesus praying
before the Father for my good and His glory!!!
Just let that sink in for a minute.
Second, Jesus ‘broke them.’ Bummer; this is the part that none of us really
like and most of us seriously try to avoid.
However, it is His
method. Consider Jesus Himself and then
God’s desire to make us like Him in the following verses: Hebrews 5:7-8 “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and
supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from
death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a
Son, He learned obedience from the
things which He suffered.” Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that God causes all things to work together
for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…” Our gracious Father wants to break
us of all the old thinking and habits that are not like Jesus and that process usually
requires pain and brokenness.
Third, Jesus ‘kept
giving them to the disciples...’ Just like the bread and fish, Jesus wants to
use us to bless people; to love people! We've been blessed by Him in salvation; we continue to be blessed by Him as He lives
within us, continually praying for us; and, are continually matured by His process
of breaking us, making us more like Jesus.
But all this in order to what?? I’m
convinced all of this is for His glory and God gets most glory by us when we
look most like Jesus Who perfectly gave His Father glory in everything He said
and everything He did. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you
love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. By this all men will know that
you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Bottom line, Jesus said all of God’s commands
are wrapped up in two equal and completely interdependent commands: Love
God and love people (Matthew 22:36-40).
Just as Jesus demonstrated love for people (all people) by caring for
their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs He wants to use us to do
the very same thing.
O God of heaven and earth, please make
us truly useful to You our Master. Thank
you for blessing us with the true Bread of heaven, Jesus and continuing to
bless us with His very presence within us.
Please conform us to His very image by whatever means necessary and
please make us teachable and submissive in Your process. In Jesus name, Amen!
