By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
My husband and I were invited to a friend’s house for dinner recently, and when I asked what we could bring to help with the meal, she said, “Just bring whatever you have on hand.”
I’m reminded of another time I was asked to “bring what I have.” It was several years ago during a small group study with our church. The study took place during a time when I was sensing God wanted to grow the ministry so we could reach and serve more women, however, I couldn’t fathom that being possible with me at the helm of the ministry vehicle. After all, I didn’t have a college degree. I had no business or fundraising experience. Marketing was a foreign concept. We had no paid staff and funds were low. So, I began praying that God would send someone to come alongside me to help direct the ministry forward.
Like so many times before, God didn’t answer my prayer in the way I envisioned. Instead, He answered my prayer the same way He has done countless other times, through the truth of His Word.
A couple of weeks into the study, we were directed to account of Jesus feeding the five-thousand found in the book of Matthew, chapter fourteen. Here’s what it says:
“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children” (Matthew 14:13-21 NIV).
The disciples couldn’t imagine feeding 5,000 plus people with only five loaves and two fish. It was an impossible equation; it just didn’t add up. But then Jesus tells His disciples something significant. He says, “Bring them here to me.” In other words, bring me what you have. They did and Jesus multiplied it. And as we know from the account in Matthew 14, there was more than enough to go around. Heck, there were even leftovers.
Like the disciples, I neglected to factor Jesus into the equation. He spoke to my heart in that moment and said, RaeLynn, I don’t expect you to have it all. I’m just asking you to bring me what you do have. I will multiply it from there. That’s when I stopped thinking about what I don’t have and put my focus on what I do have.
I have my personal testimony. I have faith in God. I have a passion for God’s Word. I have a heart for women. I have the desire to make a difference. I have time to give. I have the gift of encouragement. And most importantly, I have Jesus!!
What I have to offer may not seem like much in the eyes of man, but it is more than enough in the eyes of God.
Is there something you feel God’s calling you to do, but you hesitate because you don’t believe you have what it takes? Jesus says, Beloved, bring me what you have, and I will multiply it.
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26 NIV).
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV).
God took what we have, multiplied it, and through our new devotional, made sure women can be nourished with a daily dose of God’s Word. If you still don’t have a copy of Living in Truth Mind, Body, Spirit, CLICK HERE, and get your fill.
