On my daily morning scroll through Instagram, I watched the story of lifestyle influencer, Rashida Banks. I began following her because of her haircut. It was similar to the one I had, and I was desperately searching for inspiration and information on how to style my shorter curls. I never heard of her, but it was her faith and fabulous frame selections that drew me in.
I never paid attention to her daily scriptures until yesterday. Today’s, like most folks who decided to post scriptures today, related to the holiday, however, this was one that I was not expecting – John 6:10 – 11. It is the story of Jesus using a boy’s lunch of 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread to feed about 5000 men and even more women and children. The people followed Jesus to witness and participate in his miraculous works.
My interest was peaked when Mrs. Banks pointed out that when Jesus gave thanks and moved by faith, miracles happened. When I read the familiar passage, I was moved by the fact that Jesus decided to feed thousands of people who just came to be healed and delivered. For some reason, He thought, “all these people came to see the mighty works of God, I should feed them naturally before I feed them spiritually.” When one of the disciples found the boy’s lunch, Jesus’s faith was already stirred. He just needed an avenue for a corporate miracle to occur.
My takeaway: God can work with anything and through anyone. Just give Jesus what is in your hand and give thanks to God. Mix your faith and then distribute what you have. God will do the work. Had Jesus, if it was even possible, had operated in fear, then doubt would have spread from his disciples and among the multitude. I believe that giving thanks allows fear to dissipate. Just telling God thank for who you are and what you have done will shift your focus away from how or when. I believe the disciples joined Jesus in his gratitude which also gave God easy access to the performance of the miracle of multiplication.
I am also reminded of the power of words. All God required for this miracle was a simple “thank you.” There was no work or effort on the part of Jesus. He needed the disciples to be obedient, the boy to give his food, and he gave thanks. So simple yet powerful. What do I have in my hands that I need to give to Jesus and then thank God for? I am handing over this blog and my writings. I thank God for this avenue to write and reach many more people than I could otherwise. I am grateful for the creative nature to put words, phrases, and punctuation together for the spread of information and inspiration.
A heart of gratitude gives way to the magnitude of God.
Give love. Get love.
John 6 King James Version (KJV)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6&version=KJV
6 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
The Ready Writer 