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Surrendered to Love
by Jeannie Pallett
...And a child will lead them...
Funny how the simplest of things can change one's heart; the lad in John 6 who gave up his bread and fish is just one example for me.
He is an example, even at his young age of what the ministry of helps looks like. We can imagine that he is thinking ahead and planning to take with him, that which would meet a need. Young boys are always hungry are they not, so this was huge that he was thinking about sharing his food especially in such a remote location.
He has made a decision to run with the crowd to see Jesus, but amazingly stood far above the rest in his ability to foresee the possible need that could arise. It seems that he was the only one who brought food and that means:
· He wanted to be with Jesus and not be bothered about dealing with the issue of hunger,
· He was willing to move with and be in agreement with whatever Jesus chose to do and
· He cared enough about others to bring extra.
In other words, he was prepared. He made a deliberate point of being ready to meet needs, to take an active part in the ministry of Jesus by being prepared for the miraculous. His bread and fishes were seed he was willing to sow into the Kingdom of Heaven.
How many of us "grownups" make a deliberate point of being ready to meet needs and are ready to minister life in the Kingdom of God, especially when we know that preparation will cost us?
It will cost us our very lives and we must be aware of that and still be willing to run towards Jesus with passion and enthusiasm - even when He asks us to give what is in our hand.
The lad had to put aside what we call immediate gratification. He understood that quite likely he would endure the pangs of hunger. What took priority for him was to look at what was in his hand and make a conscious decision that the bread and fish would be seed to sow into the Kingdom.
He was completely willing to do what seemed ridiculous in order to see the miraculous. He was also willing to be a conduit for the miraculous, letting everything he had in his hands go through him that the power of God might touch others. Is this your heart?
If the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, as Jesus said it was, he wanted to be part of it and he chose to fast. Do we today, in our fast moving world make decisions to fast in order to grow closer to our Lord? Not fasting things, like Facebook, but fasting what is necessary for life? Have we ever thought much about Isaiah 58 when he talks about living a fasted life? Food for pondering...
Are we willing to prepare ourselves, to the point that it costs us something, in order to give more back to the Kingdom?
I have a friend who has the gift of the prophetic. Her perception and sensitivity to the things of the Spirit is very accurate, very precise. My pastor would call her "spot on".
She gives the prophetic word tempered with compassion and love. She has a husband, children, and a job.
Like the lad who foresaw the need for food, and possessing a heart that longed to exercise his gift within the Body brought along extra, she too understands that to operate effectively and skilfully in the gift and callings God has placed within her, preparation is required of her.
Her heart is willing to move with the Spirit and share her bread and fish; however, in order to have bread and fish to share she must spend time with the Lord. Hence, she rises at 4:30 in the morning; she rises while it is yet night and spends time with Jesus in order to have food prepared to share with others.
I think it is clear that the preparation is going to cost us. Are we willing to pay the price of discipleship, of sonship, of reigning in this life as sons and daughters of the King of Kings?
The King has given each one of us a mandate and a call. He has called us to make a difference with the gifts He has given us. He has clothed us with His cloak of righteousness and we represent and are ambassadors for the Kingdom of Heaven.
We must base all that we do on our relationship with Jesus. He is with us, in us, for us and longs to work through us.
The question is this. Have we positioned ourselves at His feet, have we leaned against Him in order to hear the whisper of His words? Are we making decisions daily to come aside and spend time just with the King?
Let us run to Him so that we are able to run with Him. Hear His voice on the wind and soar with Him to places not yet imagined but oh so necessary for the building up of the saints of God and those to come.
Will you position yourself and allow Him to get you ready to be a participator in the works of the Kingdom of Heaven?
Will you position yourself next to Him and grasp the greatness of His love for you, that love that makes the sacrifice bearable and wearable?
Can you feel the comfort of the cushion of His love?
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