Natural vs Supernatural

I love studying the miracles of Jesus written about in John’s Gospel. John focuses on only 7 miracles and the one I want to spend some time on right now is the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. I’m sure most of you reading this remember this miraculous happening. It was amazing. Take a look at John 6 and read about it. One of the amazing things about the feeding of the 5000 is the little boy who offered what he had to Jesus-the 5 loaves and 2 fish in his lunch box. This was a miracle in itself. This child was ready to give everything he had to eat to Jesus and his disciples. Withholding nothing. I would have probably kept one of the loaves for myself before handing the rest to these fellows. I think many would never have mentioned they had any food with them. Probably some out in the crowd had food in the pockets of their robes. But this little boy volunteered his food to Jesus and his disciples. I think this is one of those examples where we see children leading in faith.

In John 6:9 the boy gives his food to Jesus. I have learned that generally God doesn’t do the supernatural if we don’t do our part by doing the natural. If we put what we have in the hands of Jesus, he can turn what we have into more than enough. That is just what he did in this case. That 5 loaves and 2 fish became enough for thousands of people to fill up on and then have 12 baskets of left overs (Jesus doesn’t waste anything). Would Jesus have done this miracle if this little boy hadn’t given all he had to Jesus in faith? I don’t think so. What do you think?

Christians live in an alternate universe where giving something away doesn’t mean you have less-it means what you have left will be multiplied. Natural laws don’t apply to Christians when Jesus is added to the equation. The boy in this story is the hero. He didn’t let what he didn’t have keep him from giving what he did have. If we want to be a part of miracles we have to “step up” and offer what we have to Jesus-remembering that things involving Jesus rarely add up. So, our responsibility in a miracle is to do everything we can, offer it to Jesus, believe, and then rest in Him. Luke 6:38 says, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Welcome to our alternate universe.

Debbie Goulding, 1/15/2018

Inspired by Mark Batterson’s