The life worth living
I know, it’s been a while. Something has really been on my mind lately. It is one simple thought that came full circle this past Sunday. We were reading the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. What a great story,miracle, etc! I have always looked at this story from the point of view of Jesus or the boy with loaves and fish. But what has been bothering me over and over… I guess you can say it has disturbed me to my core!!! Jesus, 1st turned to his disciples and said, “Don’t send them away, you feed them!” (Matt 14:16). That phrase has shaken everything I thought I knew.
Through this process, I have been reminded of 2 other passages related to this statement. The 1st, is the passage, where Jesus is restoring Peter after Jesus had risen. Here is the passage:
John 21 15-19
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
”Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?“
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
***Do you see the pattern!!! Now think about this in the context of… “You feed them!”***
Here is the 2nd:
John 6:67-69
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
These 2 passages combined with the phrase ” You feed them”, really disturbed me. As I have processed this (still processing), my heart has begun to cry out, “Yes I want to feed them!” As I have responded, the Lord has been showing me that He has deposited in us the “words of eternal life”, and if we will “feed them” as He instructed us to – people will respond, “Where else can we go?!” Also, in this process I have realized, how as Christians we have degraded and emasculated what it means to be Christ like. No we are not all powerful, all knowing, or present every where, but “the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwells in me.” I said in me!!! Not as power to be wielded for my own benefit, gain, or blessing, but as the representative of Christ I will feed the 5,000; even if all I have that day is not much…. I want to rephrase the last passage and challenge you and I…. ”Where else are they gonna go? Only you and I have the words of eternal life!”
For a very long time my heart has desired to see the “real” supernatural take place in the body of Christ, but my heart/motives for seeing this take place is no longer just to experience the spectacular. I want to see the hearts of men and women, their children, and their friends be transformed by the love and power of God. Sickness, divorce, idolatry, adultery, fornication, homosexuality…. the list can go on…. is no match for the small loaves and fishes, if I will feed them. I am sure that not all the people that day followed after Christ until their death, but they were now without excuse. My heart’s cry is that God would change my heart to love extravagantly, to be moved with compassion, and then to feed others “the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead.” Lord, LET IT BE!!!!
Oh yeah…. and JESUS was where the people were!!
