When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick. Toward evening the disciples approached him. “We’re out in the country and it’s getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper.” But Jesus said, “There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper.” “All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish,” they said. Jesus said, “Bring them here.” Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed.
Matthew 14:13-21 (MSG)
I enjoy my role as a multi-tasking wife, mother, sister, friend, and ambassador for the Kingdom, but the irony of my situation does not escape me. There’s a multitude of wants and needs on my plate each day that seems as impossible to accomplish as feeding the 5000 must have looked to the disciples.
Jesus perfectly balanced the demands set before Him with the same 24 hours that I have and accomplished great things. Of course He did, I self talk. He was God.
Life around here tends to get hectic in a hurry, and my habit of saying yes to things I should say no to, and vise versa, doesn’t help. It means that our world can go from calm to chaotic in the time it takes for me to say… yes.
The thing is, Jesus knew when to say no to what he needed to—so that He could say yes to what was important.
“I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”
John 17:4
Jesus concerned himself with Gods to do list, shattering the disciples pint-sized expectations of the little bit that they had when it was time to feed the multitudes.
Little is much when God is in it.
I’m learning to offer each day to Him. A little bit of rest, a little bit of faith. Sometimes that seems insignificant, but by relinquishing control of my time, money, talents, and rights, I’m learning that God can use my little bit to do much.